Things happen -Deal with it
by Don't-just-don't
Summary: What happens when there is another girl at Hogwarts, the best friend of Fred and George Weasley, with a dark secret that may change the way people see her forever. Or more importantly, the way George sees her. There's more then meets the eye to Cora Rodriguez as she shares the journeys with Harry, Ron and Hermione. Care to find out? George/OC No update without a review Disclaimer:)
1. Introduction

**This is just an introduction. Next chapter is normal.**

**Name: **Coraline Remy Black a.k.a Rodriguez (Blaze)

**Born: **May 3rd 1977

**House: **Gryffindor

**Wand: **Hawthorn, Phoenix feather entwined with Thestral tail hair, 11½ inches, rare

**Height: **5"9

**Appearance**: Black shaggy shoulder length hair with green streaks, bright grey eyes, and nice face, Very beautiful, quarter Veela.

**Friends: **Fred and George Weasley, Lee Jordan, Charlie Weasley, Angelina Johnson, Katie Bell, Alicia Spinnet, Cedric Diggory, Harry Potter, Ron Weasley, Hermione Granger etc.

**Special abilities: **Metamorphmagus, Aura (Turn into white smoke to travel), Animorphagus (Turn into any animal at will), Multilingual, Chaser on Quidditch team, playing any instrument she wants (Not really special ability just a skill), singing

**Animagus: **Black, shaggy dog

**Patronus: **Lioness

**Read and Review please or after the next you won't get any more updates. I need encouragement.**

**Lots of love**

**~Althea**


	2. Prologue

**Yay, new story. I feel so happy please review and hope you enjoy.**

I waited, my luggage trolley posed in front of me, as the family ran through the barrier onto platform 9 ¾, each member of the red headed people going through individually. As the last person lent against the wall and slid through with their luggage, quietly and unnoticed by anyone but me, I walked forward with my things and started to run, making it seem as though I was going to go past the wall. But of course, that didn't happen and I slipped through onto the wizarding platform of kings cross station.

I turned back and gently laid my hand against the brick wall that separated platforms 9 and 10, smiling giddily at the thought of starting my first year at Hogwarts School of witchcraft and wizardry. I turned away from the wall after a few seconds and made my way past the parents saying good bye to their children. I sighed a bit at the thought of my aunt not being able to see me off.

Finally managing to squeeze past the people, jumbled apologies for accidental shoving and pushing, I jumped on the train, pulling my trunk and packages behind me and trying to find an empty compartment… with no such luck.

Just as I was about to turn around and see if I had missed any, a group of people ran past, pushing me and causing me to lose my balance and fall into one of the open compartments. I landed with a thud on the ground and huffed, my hair going an amazingly dark red colour in my anger.

I stood up and brushed my shorts off, flipping the finger to the people that pushed me, before grabbing my trunk and packages and throwing them onto the luggage rack, not even caring in the fact that I just barged on the people already in the compartment.

As I finished loading my stuff onto the rack, I pulled open the latch to my snowy fox's cage and pulled her out, petting her gently. I decided to get a fox because a) she was bloody adorable and b) I didn't want any of the other animals, though there was a rather feisty ginger cat that looked cool.

As I continued to pat my fox, Caly her name was, short for Calypso, I felt the prickling feeling on the back of my neck that meant someone was staring at me. I looked up at the other people residing in the room. And as I guessed, they were all staring at me.

"Oh don't mind me, just continue on with your conversation," I said and waited silently for them to start talking again. They didn't.

Finally, just before I was going to ask what the problem was, one of them spoke, or rather two of them.

"That –ˮ I looked up again, finally noticing that the people in the compartment were identical twins.

"Was-" the other twin spoke.

"Bloody amazing."

I tilted my head to the side, wondering what they were talking about and only just managing to keep in a laugh at the way they spoke.

"What was?" I asked.

"Your hair." They both pointed symmetrically at my hair, and I picked up a strand of it, noticing the red colour that was slowly fading back to its usual green.

"What about it. Don't tell me you don't know what a Metamorphmagus is."

"Well of course we do but we've never seen one before," The one on the left said and I grinned.

"Well now you have so you can tell people of this amazing experience." I looked back at Caly who was pawing at my face for some attention and I picked her up and nuzzled her against my face, where she curled up to sleep at the base of my neck.

"Cute. What's its name," the twin on the right asked the one with the brown instead of hazel eyes and the one that had lighter and fewer freckles.

"Her names Calypso but I call her Caly," I answered and gently slid my hand underneath her, picking her up and crossing over to the twins' seat. I put her in the twins on the rights hand.

He stared in surprise and a bit of adoration at the bundle of white fur in his hands, trying to bring one of his hands around to pat her. I smiled as she woke up and stretched, yawning slightly and poking the right twins' finger with her nose. He freaked out slightly at waking her up and handed her back to me.

I tucked her into my shirt pocket where she fell back asleep and turned back to the twins.

"What are your names?" I asked.

The twin on the left pointed to himself, "I'm Fred, the better looking twin, and this is my brother George."

I chuckled slightly and held out my hand for him to shake, "Wotcher. I'm Coraline." He shook my hand enthusiastically and I tried hard not to bounce around on my seat from all of the shaking. I turned back to George.

"It's great to meet you." I stuck out my hand to him after Fred was done and mentally hoped that he didn't do the same thing as his brother. Thank Merlin he didn't but he was still enthusiastic about it.

After a few seconds, Fred broke the silence, "Can you turn into me?" I looked over at him with a cocked eyebrow before focusing. After a few seconds of complete and utter silence as I slowly begin to morph into them, I heard a whoop.

"Wow. We're identical," They said in unison and just as I was about to open my mouth to reply, the compartment doors opened and a dark skinned boy with black dread locks came in.

His fist words were, "I've never seen identical triplets before." I burst out laughing as I slowly began to change back to my original self, with black shaggy shoulder length hair with green stripes through it, silver eyes that were my natural colour, my female shape and my 5"7 heights which was actually tall for a girl that was only 11.

The boys' eyes were open in shock before he shook his head and stuck his hand out to me. "Lee Jordan, at your service, milady." He gave a small bow before I shook his hand.

"Well then, peasant," I joked. "If you are oh so willing to bow before me you must also want to pay for my candy."

Fred and George started to laugh at Lee's shocked and foolish face, and just from that one expression I started to crack up as well, joining in with twins. Lee loosened up after a while and chuckled along with us.

We talked for the rest of the way to Hogsmeade station, only stopping so we could change into our robes, and started to pack up our things to take off the train. I put Calypso back into her cage and grabbed my trunk down from the luggage rack.

We made our way off of the train and deposited our trunks into the luggage depot before walking with the other first years towards where a man was calling.

"Firs' years, this way. Com'n now, don' be shy. Firs' years." As the person came into view, the twins, Lee and I gasped in shock. The man's face was absolutely covered in long curly black hair, and only his eyes and the skin around them was visible. He was twice as tall as me and probably five times as wide.

The man introduced himself. "The names Rubeus Hagrid, keeper of keys and grounds at Hogwarts. You lot can call me Hagrid. Now, if you'll all follo' me ov'r ter the boats." We followed him over to the lake where I only just noticed a dozen boats floating in the water. The four of us climbed into one of them.

The boat ride wasn't that long, probably only five minutes, but the view was positively amazing. The castle looked like something out of a dream. The way the lights shone through the windows and the moon circled the highest tower. It looked beautiful. I think my hair went even greener from my delight.

After we climbed out of the boats, Hagrid lead us up to some massive oak doors, and we made our way into a huge hall with wide stair cases. He stopped us before a strict looking woman in green robes.

"The firs'-years, Professor McGonagall"' said Hagrid.

"Thank-you, Hagrid. I will take them from here." She turned towards us.

"Welcome to Hogwarts," said Professor McGonagall. "The start-of-term banquet will begin shortly, but before you take your seats in the Great Hall, you will be sorted into your houses. The Sorting is a very important ceremony because, while you are here, your house will be something like your family within Hogwarts. You will have classes with the rest of your house, sleep in your house dormitory and spend free time in your house common room."

"The four houses are called Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw and Slytherin. Each house has its own noble history and each has produced outstanding witches and wizards. While you are at Hogwarts, your triumphs will earn your house points, while any rule-breaking will lose house points. At the end of the year, the house with the most points is awarded the House Cup, a great honour. I hope each of you will be a credit to whichever house becomes yours."

"The Sorting Ceremony will take place in a few minutes in front of the rest of the school. I suggest you all smarted yourselves up as much as you can while you are waiting. I will return when we are ready for you,' said Professor McGonagall. "Please wait quietly."

Professor McGonagall disappeared through another pair of oak doors. I glanced excitedly at Fred and George.

"Can you believe how amazing this is? We're finally here and I just know I'm going to be in Gryffindor." I bounced happily for a bit while they glanced at each other.

"Well our older brothers were in Gryffindor so things are looking pretty good for us," George said.

"Move along now," said a sharp voice. "The Sorting Ceremony's about to start." Professor McGonagall had returned. She beckoned us forward into a massive hall, which was where all of the students were.

The most spectacular part of the room was the candles floating in mid-air, just below the ceiling that was bewitched to look like the sky outside. I stopped from my day-dreaming when the kids around me froze. McGonagall started to speak.

She was standing next an old stool with a shabby and ruffled looking hat.

"When I call your name, you will put on the hat and sit on the stool to be sorted," she said. She pulled out a scroll of parchment.

"Crane, Brian," Was sorted into Ravenclaw.

"Diggory, Cedric," A dashing young boy, was sorted into Hufflepuff

"Jordan, Lee," Was called. He went confidently up the stairs and sat in the stool. A few seconds of sitting, the hat seemed to come to a decision and shouted out, GRYFFINDOR.

A few more people were sorted through before my name was called; three people to Slytherin, 3 to Ravenclaw and 1 to Hufflepuff, and three girls to Gryffindor. Finally I was called.

"Rodriguez, Coraline." I stepped up the stairs, silently thanking Dumbledore and McGonagall for not using my real last name. That was the last thing I needed at the moment. I sat down on the chair, the hat slipping over my eyes. I heard a voice in my ears.

Are yes, you do seem to have a secret to hide. However, you do have a strong mind, very intelligent, would do well in Ravenclaw and very loyal perhaps even Hufflepuff, but no neither of them seem to be right. I know, yes, GRYFFINDOR.

The Gryffindor table whooped and chaired as I made my way over to them, winking at Fred and George and taking the seat across from Lee. Finally, after a while more of waiting, Fred was called to the chair.

It looked like they were having an argument. Lee and I along with two red headed blokes were holding our breaths as we waited. Then not really surprising at all, the hat shouted out GRYFFINDOR.

He made his way over to us and sat down in between me and one of the red headed blokes. Almost the exact same thing happened with George though he did burst out laughing at one point, making the whole Gryffindor table and most of the other students laugh as well, for some reason.

He also was sorted into Gryffindor. Finally, after the sorting ceremony was finished, Dumbledore stood to make his speech.

"Welcome to another year at Hogwarts," He began," I must warn you that the forest in the grounds is forbidden and a list of banned products is pinned to our caretaker's, Mr filch, office door. Now, let the feast begin." He raised his hands and, suddenly, piles upon piles of food appeared on the plates.

I gaped at the shepherd's pie, sausages, beef, chicken, potatoes of every kind. You couldn't count all of it if you tried. I shovelled piles of food onto my plate then into my mouth, not even stopping to savour the taste. After spending your whole life catching and cooking your own food, it's nice to have a break.

After everyone had eaten, and I had just finished my second helping of my lemon meringue shooter, Dumbledore clapped his hands and the food disappeared. He stood to talk.

"Now that your stomachs are all full it is time to sing the Hogwarts song before we make our way to bed." He flicked his wand and words appeared in cursive gold writing.

Hogwarts, Hogwarts, Hoggy Warty Hogwarts,

Teach us something please,

Whether we be old and bald,

Or young with scabby knees,

Our heads could do with filling,

With some interesting stuff,

For now they're bare and full of air,

Dead flies and bits of fluff,

So teach us things worth knowing,

Bring back what we've forgot,

Just do your best, we'll do the rest,

And learn until our brains all rot.

As we finished the song, the golden words vanished and the hall clapped, though the Slytherin's were rather reluctant. Finally, Dumbledore sent us off to bed with a small 'put, put'. The prefect, who Fred introduced as his brother Charlie Weasley, led us up the moving staircases until we reached a portrait of a very fat lady in a pink silk dress.

"Wing-bat," Charlie spoke and the frame swung forward. We all filed into the room, while Charlie explained where the dormitories were. Once he had finished I said goodnight to Fred, George and Lee, then turned and walked up the stairs with two other girls who go buy the names of Angelina Johnson and Alicia Spinnet.

When we got into the first year dormitory, I collapsed onto my four poster bed, only stopping for a few seconds to pull on my short-shorts and an overly baggy Gryffindor Quidditch jersey that I had found in a cupboard a few months before I came to Hogwarts.

Angelina jumped on the bed beside mine, then Alicia, and a few seconds later, you could the very light, almost unnoticeable snores of the few girls.

**Finished guys, now the next chapter is going to start off with her in her fifth year because that was only the prologue. Hope you enjoy and please review.**


	3. The Beginning

**This is her Fifth year at Hogwarts so keep that in mind. READ AND REVIEW!**

**Serious Pumpkin: ****Thanks for the review! And I know about Katie Bell, it just fitted in to my version better. And Cedric Diggory is actually in the same grade as them, it's just that Fred and George were born at the end of the school year in April and Cedric was born at the beginning of the school year around September so technically he is in the same grade. I made sure by looking it up.**

**CookieMonster2244: ****Thanks for the review and there will be a new chapter up tomorrow.**

_A man screams, the blood curdling sound filling the room and I flinch. I shakily raise my wand and point it at him, but he turns and I catch a glimpse of his face. My wand clatters to the floor. My breath catches in my throat. A smile stretches on his face. He steps forward as of to embrace me, but I know better._

_"Come here, Coraline. Don't you want to give your father a hug?" Sirius Black asked_

I woke up with a gasp, my head and heart pounding. _Just a dream_, I thought, _just a dream. _I climbed out of my bed and ran down the stairs into the living room of my secluded house. My mums old friend, or aunt, as I think of her, was already in the kitchen, cooking up the food that we had caught the previous day.

"Morning, Cora," She calls to me, "Breakfast is almost done and your uncle is coming over in about twenty minutes, so go get ready.

I groaned and got up again, before running back to my room and jumping in the shower. I was in there for ten minutes before I got back out smelling nice and clean. I went across the hall to my room and looked out the window, getting the best view of the forest and mountains that surrounded my house.

I live in the most private place you could think of in the middle of the forest with mountains surrounding it on both sides. No-one that doesn't know where it is can find my home.

I pulled on some short pants and a shirt with a lion that one of my friends had bought for me and run back down stairs, just as a knock comes at the door. I fling it open and jump on the person standing there.

"Uncle Remus!" I yelled excitedly but immediately get off him, remembering why he came over. My uncle, though not by blood (He's my godfather), comes over for a week every month so we can help him get threw his transformation from human to wolf and back again. Because I'm an Animorphagus and my aunt is an animagus, we are perfectly safe in doing this.

"Hello, Cora. How have you been doing?" He asked as I pushed him gently into the house and onto the couch. He left his bags at the bottom of the stairs. I run to help Amber, my aunt, bring the tea and breakfast over to the coffee table, and we set it all down.

I noticed Remus staring hungrily at the food then start to look guilty, probably for wanting to eat some of our breakfast. I nudged him, thinking of the journey he took to get here, and said.

"Help yourself, Remus," He grinned thankfully at me, still looking a bit guilty and got a small portion of the food. Amber had already filled her plate to the brim. And mine was already half full.

"Come on, Remus, you need more than that to keep you from getting sick from the transformation so eat more." He still looked rather reluctant so I guessed I have to push harder.

"Fine then," I said. "If you don't eat enough then I'm not eating anything, so I can starve as well during the full moon."

He looks alarmed and immediately starts to pile more food onto his plate. I did the same and half of the food wasn't even gone yet. We ate for a while before Amber broke the silence.

"Remus, I hope you remembered to tell Cora what's happening."

He stopped eating, and then looked over at me. "I was actually going to leave it as a surprise but I guess now would be a good time to tell her."

He put his plate down and said to me. "Well, you needed a new Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher so I have decided to fill that position." I gaped at him while he just stared, waiting for my reaction.

"Really?! That's amazing. Oh my Merlin! And that's my favourite subject, too!" I jumped up and hugged him, letting my empty plate fall to the floor. He, caught by surprise, took a few moments to hug me back.

"And school is only in like two weeks so once you go I can get a room at the leaking cauldron and I can buy all of my things –ˮ I stopped as something fury jumped on my head, and started to paw at me.

"Get off me, Caly," I huffed and plucked her from my head. She fake growled at me as I feed her a bit of meat. I continued with my plan.

"And then I'll get myself an owl so I can deliver letters without using a school owl because my owl will know the way all the time but the school owls won't. And yeah."

They just stared at me for a while before Amber nodded. "That's quite a plan there. But I want you to go outside and get everything ready for tomorrow."

I nodded and stood up, before going outside and looking around, making sure that there was nothing that could potentially hurt Remus or me. There was nothing. After another hour of searching for things, I gave up and went inside to see that Remus was sitting there reading a book while Amber was doing one of her muggle painting's again.

I sighed and ran upstairs to the spare room, grabbing Caly on the way. I pushed the door open and ran inside and out into the balcony. It was here that I could see the whole mountains.

I breathed in the fresh air and stuffed Caly into my pocket before jumping out the window where my broom was waiting to catch me. And it did.

I flew for ages, at least two hours, just looking at the scenery that I couldn't get enough of. Finally I settled at a view point so I could see the clearing where the deer were. I watched for a while, making sure they didn't get hurt and that they were getting fed. I could've gone down there put I didn't want to disturb them while they were eating.

I watched them for ten minutes before flying back to my house. There, I found that Remus was asleep with a book on his face and Amber was showering, probably getting ready for her early nights.

I smiled and made my way over to my uncle, where I picked the book of his face and placed on the coffee table. After that having nothing better to do, I went upstairs and changed into the pyjamas that I had had for almost 6 years.

Afterwards, I jumped into my bed and feel asleep, not remembering to dread the night that was sure to be full of strange dreams.

o.O

When I woke up the next morning my immediate reaction was to calm myself that it was just a dream. That however was not the case this morning. Instead I woke up to the sound of Amber frantically running around looking for something.

I sighed and climbed out of bed, almost squashing the tiny fox on my bed. I grabbed my clothes that I always wear for full moon night, and changed into them quickly.

From there I walked down stairs to see Remus siting on the couch with a glass of water, looking like shit. He had bags under his eyes, his face was grey and looked clammy and he was shaking slightly, the water in his glass rippling.

I frowned and sat on the set next to him. "After tonight it'll be over for another month, and then you'll be at Hogwarts and you'll get to see me every day and you'll meet Harry and his friends and you'll have great fun."

He tried to smile at me but it came out as a grimace. I patted his arm and took his empty water glass, taking it to the sink and filling it up again. I handed it back to him and he took a long gulp of it, before setting it on the table.

"Tell me about my dad," my voice called out without me realising. I clamped a hand over my mouth as he looked over at me in shock.

"Really?"

I thought about it for second then nodded.

He rubbed his forehead while I crossed my legs on the couch, turning sideways so I could face him. He began.

"Well, I'm gonna tell you how I meet Sirius, James, Peter and your mother," he said, then took a deep breath. "I was sitting in the train compartment with Peter, when a girl came in complaining that there were no other empty compartments. She had sat down without even asking or anything, so I introduced me and Peter and she told us that her name was Spencer Rodriguez. She had an Australian accent and her hair was a dark shade of blue."

"We had talked for a while, about nothing really just stuff about her. Her mum and dad had passed, when she was only three. I was telling her about myself when Sirius and James barged in. James had thrown himself onto the seat beside Peter while Sirius had done the same with us. He elbowed your mum in the stomach while doing so and she threw him off her onto the ground."

"Everyone had started laughing at the look on Sirius' face and he went on and sat right next to her as though nothing had happened." Remus smiled at the memory. "We were talking for ages about what house we were going to be in, and your dad was absolutely convinced he was going to be put into Slytherin."

"When we were about to be sorted, your father went first, which was a relief and a worry for him. The hat was on his head for about 2 seconds before it shouted out Gryffindor. One of his cousins, Bellatrix, screamed so loudly the window's started to shake. They had to drag her from the room while she was trying to get to Sirius."

"And then he staggered over to the Gryffindor table, the others were sorted into Gryffindor too, Dumbledore made his speech, we ate, then we went up to the dormitory and fell asleep," He stopped and frowned before adding, "I can't believe I remember all of that."

I nod, my face completely blank and stare at him for a while, lost in my own head, trying to picture a young carefree boy and not the man that recedes in my nightmares. They had only started once he had broken out of Azkaban.

I looked out the window at the sunset before jumping up quickly, "It's sunset Remus, go get ready!" His eyes widened in fear before he walked as quickly as he could up the stairs. He came back in only a few seconds with a goblet in his hand. He downed the liquid just as my aunt came down the stairs and pushed us out of the house. She locked the doors behind her with her wand.

"Get back," Remus whispered, already hunched over in pain. He yelled for a second and I watched hopelessly. I followed my aunt's lead as she turned into her animagus, a great big horse. I turned into my natural form, a big black shaggy dog, just like my father.

Just as we finished, Remus howled up at the moon, as the transformation finished. He growled over at us and reared onto his hind legs trying to tell us that he was the dominant one. Amber and I bowed low to the ground until he stopped.

He looked at us for a few minutes, before I decided that he recognised us from the last times he had transformed. I jumped around in a playful manner, hoping to get him to play with me like the other times. I let my tongue loll out the side of my mouth in doggish grin.

He growled and I stopped before he pounced on me. I waited for him to hurt but he didn't and I snapped at him. We play fought for nearly the whole time we were there while Amber just watched us, looking amused in her own horsey way.

Just as the sun was about to come up, Amber stepped between us, pushing us apart. Remus growled at her and was about to step forward before he hunched over in pain. Amber and I transformed back and she ran to grab her wand to transfigure some clothes for him.

Just as he was about to change back, she conjured the clothes onto him so he wasn't naked. And then he was back to normal, looking like the old Remus except with pale skin and massive bags under his eyes.

He was gasping for breath as I rushed forward to help him. I made sure that he wasn't too badly hurt. He had managed to control his breathing enough so he could hear me whisper to him.

"You're going to be fine, Uncle Remus, I'll make sure of it."

He stared at me before falling unconscious. I sat back and wiped my forehead, _another month down._

**_Finished. Hope you enjoy and please read and review._**

**_Lots of love._**

**_~Althea_**


	4. I like things in pairs

**Thanks for all the reviews. **

**Anlovi: Thanks for the review and I'm really happy you like it. I also thought that her calling him Uncle Remus was pretty cute, because it showed that they were close and that they viewed each other as family. Thanks again.  
**

**Guest: Thanks for the review, and I'm happy you like it.**

"By Remus, hope you get home safely!" I called out to my uncle's form just before he disapparated. I turned to Amber and gave her hug, because I was leaving in a few short minutes as well.

"Bye, Amber," I said, "I'll see you later."

"Yeah, see ya kid." She ruffled my hair good-naturedly then pulled something out of her pocket.

"I want you to have this. Just for safe keeping." I took it from her then slowly un-wrapped the cloth around it. As it fell open, I spotted a glint of gold and green. I pulled it from the wrapping in the material and gasped in surprise.

It was a book. A red book with gold cursive writing, spelling the words

**'Spencer's**

**Book of**

**Music'**

"Is this what I think it is?" I asked shakily.

"It is. The songs your mother wrote and the favourite ones she didn't write. I've heard from your teacher that you're one of the most musically achieving students for a long while and I wanted you to have it." I smiled as tears pricked at my eyes, then lunged forward and hugged her almost as hard as a Mrs. Weasley hug.

"I love you, Amber."

"I love you, too." I pulled away from her and walked back into the house, grabbing my wand, trunk, Caly and the rest of the things I can still use at Hogwarts. I went back outside and waved to Amber, make sure all of my stuff was ready to go. I turned into an aura, traveling so fast as white smoke until I landed in an alley near the leaky cauldron. I pulled my things behind me and walked towards the pub, trying to get as unnoticed as possible.

I pushed the door to the pub open and walked over to the Tom the bartender.

"Hey Tom, I need a room until September 1st. So if you can get that arranged while I go to Gringotts that would be real great." He nodded and gave me a key to room 12, writing my name down on his log book.

I took my trunk up to the room and deposited it in the corner of the room, taking Caly out of her cage and putting her into my shirt jacket pocket before going down and out to Diagon Alley, which still, after 5 years of going there, amazed me with the spectacular view.

I wondered around for some time before heading towards Gringotts and getting my money from the vault filled with piles and piles of money that I inherited from my family. My money was probably even more than what Harry had. I had seen his vault when he came to stay at the Weasleys in his second year.

After I had gotten my money, I went to 'Madam Malkin's robes for all occasions' where I got my new Hogwarts uniform, 'Flourish and Blotts' to get my books and I even went 'Quality Quidditch supplies' to get a broom cleaning kit for my broom when I played against the other houses at school.

After I got my things I decided to drop them off before I went to get my owl. I ran back to the leaky cauldron and put my stuff in my room before hurrying over to 'Eeylops owl emporium.'

When I got there I walked through the door and over to the owls. I had been searching for ages for one that looked like it was meant for me, but I had no luck. That is until I came across a cage with two owls perched in it.

They were going to be mine. I wouldn't let them not be. One of them was a barred owl because of the pattern on it and it said on the label that it was a male while the other was a female Saw-whet owl. They were both magnificent.

I beckoned the witch behind the counter over to me and she came over, hobbling on her walking stick.

"Have you found someone you like?" She asked.

I nodded at the two owls. "I want one of them."

She made a noise in her throat and shook her head. "I'm afraid I can't do that. These two can't be separated."

I frowned and said, "Then I'll have to take both, won't I." She smiled at me and took them down from there hangings. I handed her the money, 2 galleons and 13 Knuts, for them and took them proudly out of the shop, only stopping so I could pick up some owl treats while I go.

I went back to the leaky cauldron and sat on my bed, looking at my new owls and trying to decide on names. I decided on Demeter for the girl and Apollo for the boy.

Three days later I got a big surprise. I was walking down the hallway to my room when I turned a corner and ran smack into someone. We had both fallen to the floor, grunting slightly and I had looked up to see…

"Harry!" He looked at me in confusion for seconds before grinning.

"Cora, when did you get here?" He asked, just as surprised as I was. I got to my feet quickly and pulled him up.

"Around four days ago, what about you?" We started walking in the direction of the pub downstairs.

"I got here yesterday. I still need to get all of my stuff."

I led him over to the Diagon Alley entrance. "I'll help you."

We walked out of the leaky cauldron and into Diagon alley and from there we headed off to Gringotts bank to get his money out. I, of course, needed more so I could go to 'Gambol and Japes wizarding joke shop' and 'sugarplum's sweet shop'. I also needed to get more quills and parchment.

One we had gotten our money out, we went over to Madam Malkin's so Harry could get some new robes. We then went over to 'Flourish and Blotts' to get his books, then 'Magical Menagerie' to get Hedwig some Owl treats.

Finally we made it to 'Wiseacre's Wizarding Equipment' were Harry went off on his own and I looked over at the quills. I ended up buying a pretty phoenix feather quill along with an eagle feather quill and a normal owl feather quill.

I went over to the ink and picked out normal black ink, colour-change ink, and glow in the dark ink just for fun. I then bought two whole packs of parchment filled with them.

I met Harry over at the cash register and we paid for them together, then left and decided to go get some ice cream from 'Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlour.' I got a cookie n' cream with chocolate sauce.

After we finished eating we made our way back to the leaky cauldron. Harry dropped his stuff off at his room, and then followed me to mine so he could see my owls.

When we reached my room, I unlocked the door and walked over to where Demeter and Apollo were sitting on their perches. They both perked up as we entered the room. Apollo flew onto my outstretched arm while Demeter glided over to Harry, sitting on his shoulder.

"She likes you," I said and he smiled and started to scratch her under the and around the neck.

"She's really beautiful," He responded, "Do you think Hedwig will like them?"

"Well we won't know until they meet but I think they'll like each other."

We played with them for some time before leaving and going down to the pub to get some food. That was our routine for the next couple of days. Sleep, eat, shop, eat, play with owls, talk, eat, and sleep. Though I did most of the eating. I swear that boy had no appetite.

Exactly one week before school started we got another surprise. Harry and I were walking down the hallway with nothing better to do when we heard an argument going on downstairs.

"Keep that bloody best of yours away from scabbers or I'll turn it onto a tea cosy." Ron's voice penetrated the room.

"It's a cat Ronald what do you expect. It's in its nature." And that was Hermione.

"A cat? Is that what they told you? More like a pig with hair if you ask me."

"That's rich coming from the owner of that smelly old shoe brush. That's right Crookshanks just ignore the mean old-"

"Harry? Cora?" Ron called out, finally spotting us. I walked down the rest of the stairs and gave them both a small hug.

"When did you both get here?" I asked.

"Just now. You?" said Hermione

"I've been here around a week," I reply. "Have you got a room yet?"

"No, not yet. I'm just about too."

I jumped excitedly. "You and Ginny should bunk with me. Oh come on please."

She grinned at me. "Sure, why not?" We went off to find Ginny and to tell her our plan. She agreed straight away and we told her parents. Molly came up with us to conjure two more mattresses for them to sleep on. At least this would save them having to spend money on a separate room.

After they all got settled in I decided to go and find the twins. I hadn't seen them since the end of Hogwarts had ended and I was really starting to miss them.

I went back down to the pub and searched around for a while, not seeing them anywhere. As I was about to give up, I heard a creek from behind me. I stayed extra quite as I looked around. I walked behind a wall and waited for them to come around. And they did.

As soon as they came into view I turned into a tiger and roared at them. I'm pretty sure they shat themselves. Fred screamed like a little girl and jumped into George's arms while George buckled under Fred's weight. It was rather amusing.

I turned back into myself and fell over, laughing my arse off at the looks on their faces. I wiped a tear from my eye and rolled over, clutching at my stomach. I wish I had got a photo of that. They were just staring at me, looking hurt, though I knew they weren't.

I controlled myself enough to crawl over to them and to wrap my arms around them. They both got a kiss on the cheek, which resulted in their faces going a light red colour.

"I missed you guys," I whispered to them and they hugged me back.

"We missed you too." They both said in unison. I got up, pulling them with me, and hugged Fred. He patted me on the back and told me how he had lots of plans for pranks and things like that. After he finished with me, he handed me over to George.

George hugged differently to Fred. He was gentler but he held me tighter then Fred. His hugs said more to me. Fred's told me that he missed me and that it was great to see me but George's said that he didn't like to be away from me. He would spend as much time as he could with me.

I finished hugging him then stepped back. I looked them over, noticing that, again, they had gotten taller. Probably as tall as Dumbledore, if that was even possible for them.

"I want to show you guys something." I grabbed their hands and pulled them along behind me, bringing them up to my room. I dragged them through the door, thankful that Hermione and Ginny had gone off to do something, and whistled.

Immediately, Demeter and Apollo flew over and landed on my shoulders, Apollo nibbling on my ear, while Demeter stared warily at the twins.

"It is okay, Demy," I said to my owl, "They're friends."

Deciding that they were safe, Demeter flew over and landed on George's arm. He scratched her on the back of the neck. I shoed Apollo over to Fred and he glided over to him using his head as a perch.

"What are their names?" Fred asked.

"Well, Fred, that's Demeter and she's a girl and you have Apollo and he's a boy," I explained to them, "I think they're rather dashing, don't you?"

"Oh yes, terribly dashing. I just can't believe how dashing they are," Fred said sarcastically. I punched him the arm hard and he yelped, causing Apollo to screech slightly and fly over to George and Demeter.

"Yay, they both like me!" George yelled excitedly. I chuckled at him and whistled again, and they both flew over to me. George frowned, "You just had to ruin the moment."

"Well. Yes. Can't allow you to be happy for too long without me, can I?" I joked.

"Hey, that's unfair. Fine, I'll just take Caly with me and we'll be on our way," George stuck his nose up in the air and went over take Calypso off my bed, but I blocked him from getting to her.

"You will not touch my baby," I growled out. He held his hands up in surrender and backed away, while the owls bared the wings at him.

"Hey, why'd you get two owls anyway?" George asked, looking curious.

"Well, as you know, I like my things in pairs." I smirked at them and they gulped. It was true though. Friends with twins and owner of two owls. I guess it was just a part of me.

**I did not like the end of that chapter. It didn't go how I had planned but it could be worse. Please review and hope you enjoyed reading. **


	5. Dementors

**Okay, this chapter is up and I hope you enjoy. Here are the reviews of the reviews.**

**Anlovi: ****Thanks for another review, and I know, the more I get into the story the better it gets.**

"By Mr. and Mrs. Weasley! Have a nice time without us!" I called out to the two of them as the train to Hogwarts left the station. I waved until they were just tiny black dots in the distance. I pulled my head back through the window and made my way to find a compartment.

As I was walking, I saw a compartment with Harry, Ron, Hermione and uncle Remus. I sat in there with them, though Remus was still asleep.

As soon as I walked in I realised that they were talking about Sirius Black. I wanted to turn straight around and walk back out but it was too late.

"So you telling me Sirius Black has escaped from Azkaban to come after you," Ron asked. I fidgeted slightly at the mention of my father.

"Yeah," Harry confirmed.

"But they'll catch Black wont they, I mean everyone's looking for him," Hermione pointed out.

"Sure except no one ever broken out of Azkaban before and he's a murderous raving lunatic…" Ron trailed off. I mentally bristled at Ron's comment. He may have been a murderer but he was still my father and I still loved him deep down. Only slightly.

"Thanks Ron."

Suddenly, the train lurched to a stop and the lights started to flicker. "Why are we stopping?" I asked, "We can't be there yet."

Harry got up to check the hallway just as another violent shudder hit the train. He flew back into his seat and the door slammed shut.

"What's going on?" Ron yelped frantically.

Harry looked at the three of us, "Don't know. Maybe we've broken down."

The lights went out completely and we all looked up at the ceiling to see why.

"Ouch, Ron! That was my foot!" Hermione complained. Ron pressed his hand up to the glass and looked out the window. It started to frost over. The lights flickered on and off again.

"There's something moving out there," Ron whimpered, "I-I th-think someone's coming aboard."

I noticed my breath coming out in puffs and felt my scalp prickle as my hair went white in fear. The windows frosted completely around Ron's hand. The train shuddered again and Ron ripped his hand away from the window.

"Bloody hell! What's happening?"

I tried to get up to wake up Remus but Hermione pushed me back down onto my seat. I glared at her but stoped as I noticed a shadowy figure with a scabby grey hand coming through the hallway.

It stopped at our door and used its hand to open it, the long rotten fingers curling inwards. It clutched at the door as we all stared up at it in horror. I vaguely heard Crookshanks hiss and Caly growl. The owls stayed silent.

We watched as it looked at all of us, one by one, leaving Harry for last. As its eyes landed on him, it seemed to suck in a breath then lean closer. I knew what was going to happen. It was about to perform the kiss. If only I had my wand on me I would have been able to get rid of it with a patronus but, unfortunately, I had put it in a spare bag that was sitting on top of my trunk. It also would've helped if I wasn't frozen in fear.

Just as Harry was starting to look weaker and weaker, I saw a movement then a bright light filled the room, pushing the Dementor away from a Harry and out of the compartment. It looked like I saw a black cloak flash past the window, then it was gone.

I stared shocked at the unconscious Harry then to Hermione and Ron then to Remus. He sat down beside me and gave me hug for comfort. I hugged my god father as hard as I could.

Just as I pulled back from him, I heard the compartment door slam open and then a different pair of arms was around me. I looked up without needing to, already knowing it was George. I hugged back tighter than I had with Remus because I didn't want to hurt him when it was getting ever closer to the full moon.

George was whispering things in my ear about how worried he was, and that he couldn't believe he wasn't here with me. I just held him closer to me and rested my head in the crook of his neck.

After about ten more minutes of hugging George, I heard a grunt come from the seat across from me and realised that Harry was waking up. I pulled away from him and went and knelt beside Harry.

"Harry? Harry, are you alright?" Hermione's voice said from beside me. He opened his eyes and blinked a few times before slowly getting up.

"Thank you," he muttered as Hermione handed back his glasses. Remus, knowing exactly what to do, pulled out some chocolate and gave him some.

"Here eat this, it'll help. It's alright. It's chocolate," Remus smiled as he took the chocolate. Harry looked at it then back at the door.

"W-what was that thing?" He stuttered.

"That was a Dementor, one of the guards of Azkaban. It's gone now. It was searching the train for Sirius Black," He shared a distinct look with me before placing the rest of the block of chocolate on the seat," Now if you'll excuse me I have to have a little word with the driver."

As he was turning to leave he said to him," Eat. You'll feel better."

"What happened to me?" Harry asked, taking a small bite of the chocolate.

"Well you sort of went rigged. I mean we thought maybe you were having a fit or something"

"And did either of you three… you know… pass out?" he asked. I shook my head.

"No, but I felt weird though like I'd never be cheerful again," I shuddered as the scene played through my mind again.

"But someone was screaming. A woman."

"No one was screaming, Harry."

I piped up," But I could hear crying, like someone was sobbing over something." I frowned as I thought about the noise. It had started as soon as the Dementor had looked at me. They all stared at me. "Could anyone else hear crying?"

"No."

I frown at them all, feeling George's arms wrap themselves back around me. I turn to talk to him, "Where's Fred?"

"He went to make sure Ginny is okay. He told me to come here and see you."

I nod and say," Ahhh. Okay."

I sat with George for a while, thinking about what had just happened, playing it over and over again in my head. I played what Remus said over in my head, finally catching up to what he was saying. I abruptly stood up, leaving my seat in George's lap.

"I'll be right back," I muttered urgently, already opening up the door to leave. I was almost halfway down the hall when a hand wrapped itself around my wrist. I turned and saw George.

"George, I'm fine. I just need to go talk to someone." Seeing that he didn't plan on letting go of me I looked pleadingly into his eyes. "George, please."

He frowned at me, concern etched into every line on his handsome face. "Be safe."

He turned to leave, then seemingly thinking twice about it, faced me again, and lent down, planting a short kiss at the corner of my mouth, not quit on my lips but still close. I froze. _Was he meant to do that or did he just miss_, I thought. I looked up at him as he caressed my cheek and I felt the heat rush to my cheeks.

Quickly morphing it away, I gave him a small smile then left him. I headed towards the front of the train, hoping to catch Remus on his way back from his talk. I was lucky.

"Remus?" I asked in a small voice. He stopped walking as he heard me, before pulling me forward and giving me a fatherly hug. He pulled me into an empty compartment used for the Prefects and Heads of the school, who had already gone to their own compartments with their friends.

"Are you okay?" He asked me, pushing the hair from my face. I smiled weakly at him.

"Yeah, I guess, but I wanted to ask you a question."

He looks curiously at me. "Okay?"

I took a deep breath. "If that Dementor was looking for Sirius Black why did it not come after me as well, because I'm his daughter and all?"

He furrowed his eyebrows and scratched his chin, thinking. "I think it was going to after it was finished with Harry, but when it noticed that he had some of Voldemort in him, it changed its priorities for the moment. That's the best I can explain it. If I hadn't woken up in time then I'm afraid Harry and you would not have a soul."

I heaved a shaky sigh and get up to leave. "Thanks uncle Remus. I'll see you later."

I left the compartment and headed back to my own, making sure to see if any of my other friends were in the compartments on the way. When I got to my one, I opened the door quietly and sat down, without as much as a glance at the other occupants. George wasn't there.

The rest of the trip was spent in almost complete silence. Ron and Hermione made the small conversation trying to bring Harry and me in but it wasn't working. We just sat there in our own thoughts, nothing but a mumbling noise reaching us from the others.

When we finally got to Hogsmeade station, having already changed into our uniforms, we went up to the carriages. I looked over at the Thestral, keeping silent considering I was probably the only one that could see them. Though I did see Neville from Gryffindor and a peculiar girl with blonde hair staring at them.

I got into a carriage with Harry, Ron and Hermione, and we were soon joined later by Fred, George and Ginny. I sat next to George and Ginny, who both glanced at me, worried at my silence. I tried to expel the thoughts from my mind, but only succeeded in gaining a few odd looks.

"Just trying to concentrate," I explained as I shook my head again. This helped me slightly as my hair changed from its pearly white colour to a more stable black-y colour. I still couldn't keep my green streaks of happiness.

Finally, though, after Fred made a really funny comment on Dumbledore's beard that got my attention off a certain person. I smacked Fred across the arm, making my arm even longer so I could reach over George.

Everyone stared at me as I did so, so I asked," What?"

"Can you make your face look like a dog?" Ginny asked being her curious self. I thought I could see a hint of a blush cross her face as Harry looked at her.

"Sure, but I could turn into one as well." I focused all of my energy around myself and forced into the shape of a baby Husky. I heard Ginny croon as I opened my eyes and looked at myself. I was a Husky alright.

I waged my tail and jumped up onto Hermione's shoulder, pawing at her cheek. She laughed and picked me up setting me on the ground. I growled at her and barred my tiny teeth at her.

"That doesn't look mean at all. The teeth are tiny." I turned on Ron as he spoke and turned straight into a big fat hair spider. He screamed and started to bash on the windows before grabbing Ginny and trying to shield himself with her. As soon as he did so, I turned back into a different animal, this time a squirrel.

I pulled myself up his arm as Ron still whimpered about the spider and jumped on her head. She laughed as I pulled at her ginger locks and pretended to hit her head like a nut shell. From there I jumped onto Harry, then Hermione then Fred, where I stopped and jumped onto his lap.

I turned into my natural and first ever animal, a shaggy black dog. I placed my paws on his belly and growled. They all turned their eyes to me, except for Harry, no more laughter and instead some shock. I know what they would be thinking, that I looked like the grim. But frankly I didn't care.

I curled up under their stares just to trick them, and started to whimper. Immediately I was pulled out of Fred's lap and was in someone else's hands. I looked up to see, of course, George. I smiled in a doggish way at him, happy that it was him that had defended me in his gesture, and licked him on the cheek.

"Hey, I want to hold her. She's so adorable," Fred complained and went to reach out for me. I, knowing what his fear was, turned into a small but vicious Dapto cronis. It looked like a bat but the fangs were more like saber-tooth tiger teeth. He removed his hand but still remained some dignity. After all, he didn't scream like Ron.

Deciding that I had had my fun, I turned back into myself, dropping straight into George's lap. I went to move off but he wrapped his arms around my waist and held me in the place. I looked up at him to see a light blush colour his cheeks. I looked away but still leant back into his chest, feeling quiet comfortable. From then on we all chatted until we reached the Hogwarts.

**Yay, chapter is done (Victory screech). PLEASE REVIEW! No review=No update.**

**Love you lots**

**~Althea**


	6. Lecture

**CookieMonster2244**: **Thanks for the review I'm glad you liked it and that you think it's interesting. It'a a relief your excited because there will be more**

"Welcome, welcome, to another year at Hogwarts," Dumbledore began as the students of the choir took their seats. "Now I'd like to say a few words before we're all too befuddle by our excellent feast. First I'm pleased to welcome Professor R.J Lupin who's kindly consented to fill the post of defence against the dark arts teacher. Good luck professor."

I cheered as Remus stood up and bowed modestly, before sitting back down.

"Now, Professor Kettleburn who has taught us for many years, had decided to retire in order to spend more time with his remaining limbs. Fortunately I'm delighted to announce that his place will be taken by none other than our own Rubeus Hagrid."

More cheers, manly from the Gryffindor table followed Dumbledore's sentence. I stood up and yelled, "GO HAGRID!"

"Finally on a more describable note, at the request of the ministry of magic, Hogwarts will until further notice play host to the Dementors of Azkaban. Until such a time as Sirius Black is captured." Murmurs rippled through the crowd of students and I ducked my head down.

"The Dementors will be stationed at every entrance to the grounds. Now whilst I can assure that their presence will not disrupt out day to day activities, a word of caution: Dementors are vicious creatures. They will not distinguish between the one they hunt and the one who gets in their way."

"Therefore I must warn each and every one of you to give them no reason to harm you. It's not in the nature of a Dementor to be forgiving. But you know happiness can be found even in the darkest of times, when one only remembers to turn on the light."

o.O

I shuffled out of the great hall in-between Fred and George, making our way to the Gryffindor common rooms. Just as I was about to follow the twins through one of the secret passageways, I felt a tap on my shoulder. It was McGonagall.

"Yes, Professor?" I asked, furrowing my eyebrows.

"Professor Dumbledore would like to see you. If you will follow me." She turned without waiting for my answer and I started to follow her.

Quickly I called over my shoulder to the twins, "I'll catch ya'll later."

I followed Professor McGonagall to the 5th floor corridor where his office currently resided. She stopped at the statues of the stone gargoyles and said in a strong voice, "Ice Mice."

The gargoyles sprang to the side and we went up the spiral stairs to the headmaster's office. McGonagall left me at the door. I knocked hesitantly and a quiet 'enter' answered. I walked into the office.

"Ahhh, Miss Black. How good it is to see you looking well," Dumbledore greeted. I gave him a wave and a smile, the usual reaction after he uses my real name. "Lemon drop?"

I smiled wide at the offer and took one, popping it into my mouth, "Thank you sir."

He sat down at his desk and placed his elbows on his desk. "Miss Black," He said, "It has come to my attention that you may need extra protection from your father and the Dementors. I am well aware that you can perform a corporeal patronus charm, the only one in your year level. But you still do not have all the experience to keep a mad man away from you."

I tried to butt in so I could talk but he didn't let me. "Yes, you probably think you can handle it, but alas I think otherwise. You do not yet know how to take on a full grown man with a murderous mind. So in order to keep you safe, I wish to give you lessons myself."

My mouth fell open in surprise and he chuckled. "Yes, you would be surprised by my proposal but I think it is for the best. I will send a message for your first lesson. Your mother used to get lessons as well, thought that is a story I will share with you another time. Now, I also know that you have been helping one Remus Lupin with his transformations during the full moon. Well I would like you to continue with that."

"You will meet him at the entrance hall at 4:00pm and go with him to the whomping willow. To get in you have to press the knot on the root by the entrance. But be aware that if Remus manages to find a way out of there without your help then there will be severe harm for anyone that he may happen upon. Now you may leave, you must be tired."

I closed my mouth and felt my hair go an orange-pink-red-y colour in my embarrassment. I thanked him and left the room, thinking all about the lessons as I went. _Would I have to do some crazy stunt, like kill a giant or something, _I thought.

Reaching the fat ladies portrait, I stopped. I hadn't heard the password. I thought for a moment about what I could do. I could wait for someone to come along and find me, or I could go find someone else. Or I could go to one of my secret places and wait it out.

Just as I was about to leave to go to the kitchen's to talk to an elf, I heard footsteps and the portrait swing open. I looked up to see Lee, one of my Gryffindor friends.

"Hey, Cora. What are you doing out here?" He asked.

"Well I was talking to… one of the teachers and they forgot to tell me the password so I didn't know what it was."

"Oh, Okay, well come on and the password's 'Fortuna Major'," I jumped into the portrait hole and went straight up to the 5th year girls dormitories. As I went in I saw that the girls were already asleep, so I changed quickly into my Pyjamas, the same as I used to wear when I was younger except I wore some different shorts.

I climbed into bed and fell asleep immediately with only a lingering thought on my conversation with Dumbledore in my mind.

o.O

_"So we finally meet, daughter," Sirius Black whispered, "I must say, I'm impressed with how you've turned out. So much like your blood-traitor mother."_

_I shivered as his eyes racked over mine. It was his fault that my mother died, that the only memory I have of her was a flash of red and green light mixed together then an explosion of fire then continues sobbing._

_"Yes, it will be fun torturing you. Or maybe I should take you to my master. Yes he will make sure you suffer properly. He might even let me give you a few crucio's, if he feels kind."_

_"Though I might just give you one myself, I'm sure he wouldn't mind," He muttered, "CRUCIO!"_

I woke with a gasp, sweat pouring down my face and neck. I tried to take a deep breath and to get rid of the dream from my mind, but it just wouldn't leave me. I looked out the window. _That's strange, _I thought, _usually I wake up from my dreams when it's light out._ But no the sky was still shrouded in blackness.

I got out of bed and walked around quietly for a while, before heading down to the common room. It was empty. I sat on the squishy arm chair, burying my head in my arms. I couldn't help the silent trembles that shook me. I sobbed quietly, ashamed that I had succumbed to a small crying figure.

I tried to think of happy thinks, the things that made me so blissful that there was not a worry in the world. The image that appeared of that was George. I jumped up suddenly and fast-walked to the 5th year boys' dormitory.

I pushed the door open slowly, so it wouldn't creak and tiptoed over to George's bed, shaking him awake. He moaned quietly and looked up at me, before his eyes widened and he sat up, almost banging heads with me.

"Cora, are you okay? Why are you in here?" He asked frantically, and I pressed my hand to his mouth.

"I'm fine George, I had a nightmare and it won't leave me alone." Already knowing my silent question, he scooted over to make room in his bed and pulled me down next to him. He wrapped his strong arms around me and I curled my hands against his chest, breathing in deeply. He smelt like chocolate and saw-dust, probably from the fireworks he always set off.

I felt him press a kiss to my head and I moved up slightly so I could put my head next to his. I smiled warmly at him, before resting my head in the crook of his neck. I felt my hair change to a brilliant purple-fuchsia, showing how happy I was to be with him and how I felt about him. He'd probably not know what the colour meant but he would get the gesture.

I was halfway between sleep and wake when I felt George lean down and whisper to me, "I wish you knew how I felt." I didn't know if it was a dream that I didn't know about or if he was actually saying this but I didn't care. For now I was content in lying in his arms.

No more dreams interrupted my sleep for the rest of the night.

o.O

I woke up the next day to something stretching itself up next to me. I opened my blurry eyes to see a long pale figure.

"I'm sorry, love. Didn't mean to wake you," The figure spoke, and one of its hands brushed the hair from my face. I blinked my eyes a few times to clear them and eventually I could see that it was George.

"I'm fine," I muttered and rested my head back on his chest, trying to get back to sleep.

"You know love, we have to go to classes soon," He whispered, his breath tickling my ear. I groaned and grabbed his arm, pulling it over my head.

"I want to stay here and sleep with you," I moaned and I felt his body heat up with a blush. I smirked and kissed him where he kissed me on the train, then rolled off the bed and ran down the boys' stairs then up the girls, bursting into the empty room and grabbing my robes to pull them on.

I slipped my hand over my heads, and with a concentrated look, my hair unravelled into nice neat curls that feel down my back in black and green ringlets. I put my shoes on and ran down the stairs, stuffing books into my bag as I went. Fred and George were waiting in the room with their hair ruffled and their clothes wrinkled.

I tusked at them and pushed past them, linking my arms with them as I walked. We went down to breakfast just as McGonagall started to hand out the time tables. She handed our timetables to us as we sat down.

"What do you have first?" I asked them.

"Charms," They both replied.

"Then what?" I handed my time table to them and took Fred's knowing his would be the same as George's. His was almost the exact same as mine, apart from the Arithmancy, Alchemy and muggle music, which they weren't taking.

I stuffed some bacon in my mouth and grabbed a piece of buttered toast before hoping up and dashing for the doors, the twins following me. We ran to the charms classroom, taking short cuts on the way.

When we got there the rest of the class was already waiting outside, and we just managed to get in line before professor Flitwick called us in.

I sat down in between the twins with Fred on my right and George on my left. I pulled out my wand and set it in front of me on the desk.

"Now today will be a practical lesson, so you can keep your books away. You will be learning about to the Patronus charm. It is well overdue, yes. Usually you would learn this in defence but given that it is a charm, Professor Lupin thinks it will suffice." He pulled out his tiny wand and stood up on a stool. "The incantation is 'Expecto Patronum'. In order to produce this charm, you must use a strong memory that makes you happy. Allow it to fill you up."

He waved his wand and bright silver light appeared, though it was non-corporeal.

"As you can see, my patronus is non-corporeal. Only a few of the best witches and wizards can produce a corporeal patronus. Would anyone like to come up and try? How about you, Coraline." He asked. I slowly got to my feet and picked my wand up, making my way to the front with a cocky smirk on my face.

When I got to the front, I held my wand up and thought about last year, when I had sneaked down to Honeydukes with the twins and bought almost all the candy I could manage and we went back up to the common room and had a candy fight.

I spoke in a strong, clear voice as I thought of the memory and bellowed, "Expecto Patronum!" A silvery white lioness burst out of the tip of my wand, jumping and running around the room. Of course I already knew how to make one.

"Ah well done, Miss Rodriguez's done it. Yes, well done." The class stared at the patronus in awe and wonder, and when it disappeared their gazes shifted to me. I sat back down, and as I did so, the twins whispered in my ear.

"That-"Said Fred.

"Was-"That was George.

"Bloody brilliant." I grinned.

**Okay end of chapter. The usual crap, blah, blah, blah. READ AND REVIEW! No Review= No Chapter. **


	7. There's a monster in the shadows

**UmikaWaves:****Thanks for the review and the 'bye' being 'by' is because my 'e' get's stuck a lot an I always have to skim and scan though the text, but I guess I'm bound to miss a couple. And I'm glad you think it's cute.**

The next two months seemed to whizz by, with all the homework and assignments for the O.W.L's, and all the worrying about Sirius Black, and the secret trips to Hogsmeade that I made with the twins, because we weren't meant to go down yet.

When the Hallowe'en feast came, I was so excited about the fun that I completely forgot about the mass murderer that was currently on the lookout for Harry and me. It was a distraction that I gladly welcomed.

On the morning of the 31st of October, I woke up with a huge pile of chocolates and candies on my bed from my roommates, Fred, George and Lee, and Harry, Hermione and Ron, and a few of my friends from other houses. I tore into a packet of 'Bertie Botts every flavour beans'.

I looked at the rest of my candy as I chewed on a cinnamon flavoured bean, discovering that I had a variety of almost all the candies in Honeydukes. I went over to the girls and woke them up with a jump on each of their beds, yelling candy at the top of my lungs. Good fun.

They all moaned as they woke up and glared at me, though it stopped as they spotted the candy on the end of their beds, though all of the piles were lots smaller than mine. We all started to munch on our food, me still eating the beans. I spat them across the room every time I got a bad one, for example: Fish paste.

After I'd had a significant amount of chocolate in my system, I decided to go and see Fred and George, wanting to hang out with them because it was the weekend. I grabbed Caly off my bed.

I ran to their dorm and burst into their room, making Fred fall off his bed, George spit out the food he was eating and Lee to trip over his pile. I cracked up laughing and Caly started to paw at my hand. I let her down and she ran and jumped on top of Fred, scratching at his chest. Just as he was about to pick her up, she ran out of the dorm.

I sat down next to George, ignoring Fred's hand that was asking for help up. When he started to waddle around like a turtle on its back, I morphed my arms out and picked him up by the leg, dropping him on his bed.

I sat there talking about how awesome the feast would be, having watched the professors set it up last night then cast charms to make it invisible for when it was breakfast and lunch.

"Freddie," I moaned, "Can we go to the three broomsticks to get some butterbeer? I promise I'll sneak one for you this time. Please?" I begged. He stroked his chin and pretended to think.

"But we can just go to the kitchen."

"Yeah, but what's the fun in that. I mean we've been there a million times, it's not that amazing. Please, Freddie?"

"Ahhh, Yea…Nahhh, May… Okay," He drawled, trying to build up my hopes then squash them down. I smirked then jumped up, running to my room to change my clothes. I got into some short black pants with stockings underneath and a plain black shirt. So I was really wearing all black.

I pulled on a black cloak and ran downstairs, meeting Fred and George on the way. We left the common room and headed down to the statue of the one eyed witch, doing what needed to be done to get in.

As we walked through the passageway, I morphed my hair to a platinum blonde colour that fell pin-straight to my back and my eyes went brown. I grew even taller and I filled out more. I lit my wand for the twins to see and their mouths fell open, looking me over from top to bottom and back again.

Once we got to the cellar, I climbed up the stairs and out of the door, my cloak billowing out behind me. No-one noticed me go, but even if they did they probably wouldn't have said anything as I left Honeydukes and crossed over to 'The Three Broomsticks'. I went inside and went straight up to the counter, asking for six butter beers, getting them only minutes after.

"Here you are, dear," Madam Rosmerta said, handing the bottles over. I smiled at her. Not many people knew, but Madam Rosmerta was the cousin of my aunt Amber when she went to Hogwarts. She's been like another aunt forever and she is one of the only people to know my sneaky disguise.

Once I grabbed the drinks, I left the three broomsticks to get back to the twins. I decided to let my guard down, and changed back to my regular looks, my hair going black and shaggy and my eyes going grey. I was just about to walk past the forest area when I stopped dead in my tracks.

I stared at the forest, sure that there was something staring at me, something hidden. I slowly walked towards the forest, hoping to catch a glimpse of what was staring at me. I made it about two metres from the place where it came from, when a pair of bright grey eyes locked with mine. A low guttural sound came from it, either a whimper or a growl, I couldn't tell.

I backed away from the sound and, only when I was clear of the forest, did I turn, fast walking to Honeydukes. I barely noticed my way through Honeydukes and down to the cellar, where I handed George and Fred two Butterbeers each and started to walk without them.

"What took you so long?" Fred demanded, "We were starving our arses off down here." I didn't reply to him, still thinking about the thing behind the bush. And I knew exactly what, or who, it was. I just didn't want to believe it.

I felt one of them nudge my shoulder and, guessing it was George, turned sightly and smiled to show him I was fine. He wasn't convinced.

"What's wrong, Cora? And don't try to say nothing, because I'll know you're lying." George was one of the few people I couldn't lie to, which is saying something.

"I'll tell you later," I said. They didn't approach me about it again until we're up in the dormitories, drinking our butterbeer. When we sat down, I uncorked my butterbeer and took a long gulp, trying to moisten my dry mouth.

"So, spill."

I took a deep breath and told them about what happened, not leaving out any details except for my knowledge that it was Sirius Black. They didn't seem that concerned until I told how scared it made me.

"Crap, you could have been hurt," Fred muttered. "Well, that's over now so all you have to do is not go out by yourself for a while. It'll blow over. Anyway, I promised to meet Lee down at the lake to plan some pranks, and I can see that George wants to stay here with you so, good bye."

He left the room, leaving George and I in complete silence, while he just looked at me in concern. I fidgeted with my hands and felt my hair go a silvery orange, like it always does when I'm anxious or nervous.

I tried to think of something to say but there was nothing. Finally, when the tension got to thick, I stood up and walked to the door, trying to leave. But no. He grabbed my wrist and spun me around to face him, towering over me with all his height.

Just as he was about to say something there was a knock on the door and Neville Longbottom walked in, looking jumpy. He handed a scroll to me.

"Professor Dumbledore wanted me to give you this," He muttered, then went straight back out the door. I unravelled it then read the small curly righting.

Dear Miss. Rodriguez,

You are to report to my office at 2:30pm for your first lesson.

Yours sincerely,

Prof. Albus Dumbledore

P.S I do love Liquorice wands

"What's that?" George asked, looking over my shoulder to read the letter. I looked at my watch. 2:26. Shit

I quickly stuffed the note into my pocket and walked towards the door, calling back to him, "It's nothing really. I'll talk to you later." I jumped down the stairs, doing two at a time, and ran all the way to Dumbledore's office.

I stopped in front of the gargoyles and said, "Liquorice wands" and they jumped to the side. I ran up the stairs and knocked on the door, going in as a quiet 'enter' followed. Dumbledore was sitting at his desk, petting his Phoenix, Fawkes.

"Hello, Professor," I muttered. He stood up and walked around his desk.

"Today, I would like to see the things you can do, so I can determine what you need to learn, so if you will," He said, getting straight to the point. I nodded and turned into a completely different person, Professor Flitwick to be exact. Dumbledore chuckled as I turned normal again.

I then turned into a cat, then a dog, then a hippogriff. After I was finished with that, I pulled out my wand and produced a corporal patronus. After showing him everything I could do, which took a long time, he clapped his hands in that weird way that he did it and sat back down at his desk.

"Well, you seem to know a variety of different spells and your powers are remarkable. Now if you will, I need to consider the things to teach you. You may go." I left with a nod and walked through the corridors, curious about what Dumbledore was going to teach me.

On my way back to the common room, I ran into Harry, Ron and Hermione.

"Hey guys, where are you going?" I asked them. They stopped.

"We're going to see Hagrid," Hermione explained.

"Oh, do you mind if I tag along, I've kind of got nothing to do here."

Harry replied with a, "sure," and we walked down to Hagrid's hut. I stopped as they went in so I could say hi to Buckbeak. I bowed down too him, making sure to make it really low. After a bit of hesitation he bowed back and I made my way forward, patting him on the beak.

After a few minutes with Buckbeak, I left him and walked into Hagrid's hut, sitting down in the massive chair next to Hermione. I took some of the tea Hagrid offered me but refused the rock cakes politely.

We talked for some time about things, not much importance really, until Buckbeak came back up.

"So when's the hearing for Buckbeak?" Ron asked. Hagrid went stiff immediately, and started to pull out his big spotted handkerchief.

"I'm no' quite s're yet, bu' it 'as ter be soon." He dabbed at his face. I listened on the conversation as much as I could but eventually zoned out, staring at Fang as he dribbled all over Ron.

I decided to go back up to the castle and I told them that I was leaving for the Hallowe'en feast. I walked up the grounds quickly and pushed the oak doors open. Heading back to the dorm, I sat in the common room next to Fred and George as they were playing a game of exploding snap.

Growing bored, I changed my hair to a bright fiery red/orange for the feast and made my eyes go completely black; "Guys, think this is good for the feast?" I asked.

They turned and looked at me and Fred said, "I think you could go some blood pouring from the mouth, and vampire teeth. And really super pale skin."

I did so and Fred kissed his fingertips like a French guy. I smirked as I made fake blood pour from my mouth and down my chin, making it stop so it wouldn't drip on me. We sat and talked about different ways to make me even scarier to top last year, where I turned into what the muggles thought witches looked like, with the green skin, boils and warts, long pointy noses and really short, with black hair underneath a pointy hat.

When it got to dinner time, we got up and walked to the Great Hall. I just knew that everyone would be anticipating what I looked like this year and, I must say, everyone was surprised. The excitement, delight and wonder on everyone's face turned immediately into cheers as they all spotted me. I did a pose like a super model and throw my hands into the air like there was fire bursting up behind me.

I even managed to get a few cheers from the less stuck up Slytherins.

**Sorry for ending it like that, but the next chapter I wanted to start at the end of the Hallowe'en feast. READ AND REVIEW!**


	8. Hallowe'en feast

**magicwolfluve12:** T**hanks, for the review and I'm glad you think I'm a good writer, because I want to be an Author when I'm older. And George is my favourite too! Along with Draco and Sirius**

We ate for hours and hours, feasting on caramel apples and other Hallowe'en foods. I almost cried in happiness when I saw delicious looking cakes with decorated whip cream pumpkin heads in some and others tiny little bats.

I said to Fred and George, "Did you know that the elves in the kitchens made these because I asked." She pointed to the little cakes.

They looked at me and smirked. "Well we are eternally grateful," George said, as Fred clapped me on the back, making me spit my drink all over poor Neville.

"I'm sorry, Neville." I pulled out my wand and waved it at him. The drink vanished straight away. Neville mumbled an 'its fine' and started to eat again. I finished off my steak and drank down my blood-red drink, before starting on another caramel apple.

Dumbledore flicked his wand and the food disappeared, lots of deserts taking its place. I immediately grabbed the closest lemon merengue shooter and a fork, diving in and putting as much of it as I could in my mouth at the one time.

We all ate until Dumbledore clapped his hands and the food vanished, leaving us to realize how full we were. Dumbledore made a speech about how fantastic it all looked and that he couldn't wait to see what next years' Hallowe'en would bring.

We left as he dismissed us and climbed up the floors to the Gryffindor tower. I talked to George and Fred along the way.

"What colour do you think I should make my hair streaked with?" I asked.

Fred piped up with a loud, "ORANGE!" I laughed and shook my head no. I wouldn't want to be mistaken as one of the Weasleys' not that that would be a bad thing.

George picked up a strand of my hair. "How about a maroon-y red, for Gryffindor." I perked up at the suggestion and squeezed my eyes shut. I felt the prickle in my scalp as my hair went black and shaggy with maroon and gold highlights. I also let my eyes go silver and my teeth go straight and not sharp. I wasn't super pale anymore either.

I started to talk to them but stopped as I heard a scream come from the front of the Gryffindor group. I stretched my legs out so I could see over the heads of the other students and only just managed to keep in a scream of my own.

The fat lady's portrait was torn up with three long slashes going diagonally down it, from what appeared to be claws. My legs went backwards as I stumbled in shock. I would have fallen over, had George not grabbed me.

"Move, get out the way, you heard. Move!" Percy Weasley ordered as Dumbledore and Filch made their way through. They pushed their way to the front and Dumbledore ran his hand over the torn painting.

"Mr. Filch, round up the ghosts, get them to search every painting in the castle and find the fat lady," Dumbledore spoke.

"There's no need for the ghosts, Professor," Filch spoke as he stared at a point on the wall. "The fat lady's there."

Everyone gasped and started to run forward immediately as they spotted her in one of the safari paintings. I ran forwards with Fred and George, being tall working to our advantages.

"Hey, I'm head boy, mind where you're going. You listen, I'm head boy," Percy screeched, though his voice wasn't heard.

"My dear lady, who did this to you?" I looked at the fat lady, who was hiding behind some sort of hippo-pig.

"Oh, eyes like the devil, he's got. And a soul as dark as his name. It's him headmaster, the one they all talk about. He's here, somewhere in the castle. SIRIUS BLACK! Hmhmhm." She ducked back behind the hippo-pig.

"Secure the castle Mr. Filch, the rest of you, to the Great Hall!" I slowly stepped backwards then turned and dashed down the stairs. I heard one of the twins call after me but I ignored them.

I ran until I reached the portrait of the bowl of fruit and tickled the pear. I ran down the stairs and was immediately greeted with squeaky voices. I looked down and saw all of the house elves at my feet.

"Miss. Rodriguez. Is there anything Jollie can do for you, miss?" I noticed the tiny female elf at my feet who was staring up at me with her big brown eyes. I smiled at her.

"Oh no, that's okay Jollie. I just wanted to get away from everyone and I thought here would be a good place," I explained and sat down at the table. "Oh, could I get some water?"

Jollie scampered off straight away and came back only seconds later with a glass and a jug of water. I took a long gulp of it and was just about to set it down when there was a bang and the door came open. I expected it to be one or both of the twins, but it wasn't.

It was Remus, and he was looking as sick and tired as ever. I stood up immediately and helped him over to the table. He sat down with a huff.

"Remus, are you okay. I forgot it was the full moon soon." He waved me off with his hand.

"It's fine. I just need to rest for now." I poured him some water and handed it to him. He gulped it down gratefully.

"The Gryffindor's are sleeping in the Great Hall tonight so I suggest you get there before they notice you're gone." He stood back up and I followed. "I also think your Weasley friends are worried about you."

I started to feel guilty about just up and leaving, and ignoring them when they called after me. I turned towards the door, thanked the elves and left, Remus following me. I went straight to the Great Hall and went in, where Dumbledore had just conjured up hundreds of sleeping bags.

I left Remus with a wave and went to got find Fred and George. I spotted them over in one of the corners with Lee. I fast-walked over to then but they didn't notice me. The twins had their backs to me but Lee could see me.

He jumped up and ran over to me, wrapping his arms around me in an embrace. I patted him on the back and said, "Hey Lee," Before he let go of me and was replaced by Fred. I hugged him to, harder than I did with Lee because I was closer to Fred.

I didn't even need to look at him before I knew that George's arms would be around me next. I squeezed him close as he did the same to me, and I buried my head in his chest. He kissed me on the head. "Are you alright, Love?"

I nodded my head under his chin, and I felt him relax. After what seemed like 20 minutes, but what actually only one, I pulled back and picked up a sleeping bag, jumping into it. I lay down in-between Fred and George, facing George.

"Do you think he's still here?" George asked me. I opened my mouth to reply then stopped, thinking about it. I started to shake at the thought of my father still being here, lurking around in the secret hiding places that he would have helped find too make the marauders map. Of course I already knew that he was Padfoot.

George pulled me closer to him to get me to stop shaking, pressing me close against him. I put my head on his chest again and listened to his heartbeat. I didn't really want to sleep because I knew the nightmares would come twice as hard, but I couldn't ignore the heaviness of my eyes and the sigh of my breath as I slowly feel asleep.

o.O

I woke up, still in the Great Hall, and rolled over, out of reach of George's arms and felt him reach out and pull me back, without even realising that he had done. I smirked at the gesture and turned around so I was facing him.

I looked up at him and grabbed his nose, trying to keep in my laugh. I felt a stare on the back of my neck, and turned to see Fred staring at us with amusement in his eyes. I put my hand over George's mouth and waited.

He made a funny noise in the back of his throat, like a cough, a sneeze and a swallow added together, and jerked awake with a groan, staring wide-eyes around the room. Fred and I promptly burst out laughing and were silenced by the Ravenclaw prefect.

George glared at us then gave up, resting his head back on the pillow. I tried to roll away from him again but he wouldn't relent and I moaned to him, "George, I need to go talk to professor Lupin."

He groaned, "Why?" and I patted him on the cheek. He reluctantly let me go and I stood up, straightening out my clothes. I walked off to the defence against the dark arts class room. When I got there, I knocked quietly on the door.

I heard some shuffling on the room then the door opened, revealing a worn-out Remus. He ushered me in and I went up to his office, sitting at his desk.

"Hello, Coraline. Do you want some tea?" I nodded my head and he poured me a freshly brewed cup. I sipped it slowly, savouring the taste. Remus sat across from me and we drank our tea in a comfortable silence.

"I hope this full-moon goes alright," Remus muttered, and I looked over at him, not in sympathy because I knew he'd hate it, but just looking.

I stayed with him for the rest of the day, talking about nothing, then something's, then nothing again, until it got to 4pm, when we left the room and went down to the Entrance Hall. We went down to the whomping willow and I transformed into a little mouse so I could press the knot on the root.

I crawled into the hole after Remus and transformed back into a human. We fast walked along the passageway until we reached the stairs and went up them. I sat on the couch and fiddled with my appearance, Remus occasionally making suggestions.

I ended up with my usual Black Shaggy hair, only this time I had strands of ice-blue, and my nails were black like I had nail polish on, and my silver eyes got brighter.

Finally, only about twenty minutes after we had gotten there, Remus bowed over in pain, and let out a wolf like whimper. I quickly jumped up and waited until he was almost transformed, then changed into a black shaggy dog. I didn't notice the shadow in the corner…

I waited as Remus finished the transformation, than bowed down as he growled at me. He stared me down, and then slowly lowered himself. I stopped bowing and he jumped around, getting me to play. I did so and pounced on him rolling around on the floor.

After a while we separated, and I panted, wanting to lie down. He seemed to be more aggressive tonight. He growled at me to start fighting again, but I couldn't. I was just too tired from not having enough sleep the previous night. I didn't even know how Remus could be so energetic.

I was growled at again when a shadow ran out from behind a bookshelf and jumped in front of him, bowing down. Remus went to swipe at it then stopped, sniffing the air. He went back onto all fours, still sniffing.

He jumped at the shadow, which I now realised was a dog, similar to myself, though bigger, but still skinnier. They rolled around the ground in the play fight for ages, though not as long with me, because I went for like 4 hours.

I sat and watched, trying to realise where I recognised the dog from, I knew I had seen him somewhere. Finally I saw the sun rising and Remus hunched over in pain again. I whimpered as he yelled in pain, wishing I could make it hurt less.

He stopped yelling and became human again, and I turned human, grabbed my wand, and conjured some clothes on him. I looked at the dog that was there and patted him on the head. Noticing how skinny he was, I grabbed my wand and tried my best to transfigure one of the old tatty chairs into some food. I was really good at transfiguration, so I did a pretty good job of it.

I also conjured up a bowl and said, "Aguamenti." Clear water shot out of my wand and into the bowl. The dog changed course from the food and drank all of the water instantly, not leaving any drop. I filled it back up.

After he had done with the water, he started on the food, munching it down without hesitation. I watched closely, thinking. Remus was still lying on the ground, resting, and I knew he didn't need my help.

"I think I'll call you Snuffles," I decided and the dog lifted its head briefly to stare at me with what looked like a cocked eyebrow. I smirked and nodded. "It suits you."

I went over to Remus and helped him, letting him lean on my shoulder.

"Bye Snuffles," I said to the dog and left down the stairs and back into the passageway. We walked, or stumbled, to the entrance. I turned back into a mouse and pressed the knot. Remus crawled out and away from reach of the tree.

I was about to un-press the knot when Snuffles ran out and across the grounds, heading for the dark forest. I shrugged my mouse shoulders and scampered over to Remus, turning human as I went.

We went into the Great Hall and I lead Remus to the Hospital wing. Madam Pomfrey ran out of a private room at the back of the wing. She helped me bring Remus over to one of the beds. He was practically asleep as soon as his head touched the pillow. Madam Pomfrey went to work immediately on fixing his cuts and wounds. Once she had finished with him she started on me. I hadn't even realised that I had more wounds then last time. I must be getting un-fit.

Once she had finished I was realised from the room and I patted Remus' hand before going. I went to the Gryffindor common room, giving the new password to sir Cadogan, which was 'scurvy nut-hound' which I thought was completely ridiculous.

I went up the girls' staircase and changed into my pyjamas. It was only a few minutes after my head hit the pillow, was there a loud bang and Angelina Johnson was shaking me awake.

"Get up! It's Quidditch practise!" She yelled. I groaned and rolled over so I could see her. She looked at me in surprise. "You look like shit. Are you sick?"

I shook my head and pulled myself out of bed, going into the bathroom. I had a quick shower and put my hand thought my hair, trying to make it unravel. It did but it wasn't how I'd usually do it, I was just too tired.

I changed into my robes and got ready for one of the most exhausting days of my school life.

**Okay done. Finished. Finally. READ AND REVIEW! Or no Update!**


	9. Oh crap nuggets

**New chapter, happy.**

**Magicwolfluva12: I know and thanks for the review again. I'm trying to hint about Cora and George, so you have to be patient. Sorry about the confusion****  
**

When I got down to the Quidditch pitch, I noticed that the whole team was there, except for me. I ran over as fast as I could and grabbed my Nimbus 2002.

"What took you so long?" Oliver demanded, fuming. I glared at him.

"Shut up, Oliver." I stood beside George and almost fell asleep on his shoulder. I would have if Katie Bell hadn't slapped me across the back of the head to wake me up. I glared then smiled at her and tried to pay attention to Oliver's' speech.

The only person that really ever did was Harry and even he was getting bored of it. I sat on the ground and hugged George's leg, trying to sleep again. _Ah, why was it a full moon last night? _I thought.

"Okay, let's practise," Oliver finally said and we mounted our brooms. I kicked off the ground and flew around the pitch, rejoicing in the feeling of the wind in my hair and the view of the forest and lake.

Fred and George flew beside me and we did dips and turns all around the place. I flew higher than the rest of them and jumped off my broom. I fell through the air for a while until I was below the clouds. I heard one or both of the girls scream and the guys gasp in shock.

They called my name and I heard the whoosh of a broom as one of the twins flew towards me. I smirked slightly and wondered why they were worried. They knew I was an Animorphagus. Plus my broom would catch me. It was special that way.

I whistled and my broom that was hovering just a few metres above my head flew down and I landed on it. They all gasped again and I flew back up above the cloud cover. This time I felt someone else beside me. I looked over at George.

"Why'd you do that for? You scared the life out me! I though you actually fell and were going to die. Merlin Cora!" He ranted. I frowned. What was his problem? Did he think I was stupid enough to just fall off my broom?

He caught my hurt expression and immediately started to apologise. "I'm sorry, Cora. You just scared me and I can't lose you…" I put my hand over his mouth to get him to stop talking, which he did. I grinned at him and leant over from my broom, hugging him tightly, telling him it was okay.

We separated as Oliver called us down, so we went and landed on the pitch. I explained to them what I was going, which was just a thing I was practicing. They didn't even notice how my voice wasn't its usual loud and bubbly self and my hair and eyes weren't bright or shiny.

Oliver dismissed us after another long lecture, and we made our way back up to the castle, hoping to catch the last few minutes of lunch. We got there just as the food started to disappear and I lunged forward, managing to grab a plate of sandwiches.

I shoved one in my mouth and barely chewed it before swallowing. Fred and George grabbed one and practically did the same thing, then went back for more. By the time it was all gone, we had all consumed about two sandwiches each in total and we were still starving.

I sighed, hoping to spend the rest of the day sleeping, but I was too hungry, so I headed down one of the hallways until I got to the picture of the bowl of fruit, the twins following me. I tickled the pear and went into the kitchen, already being bombarded by greetings and welcomes from the house elves.

"Misters. Weasley and Miss. Rodriguez, how good it is to see you. What can Jollie get for you?" I smiled and asked kindly for a platter of fruit and sandwiches and some pumpkin juice. We sat at the table and dug into our meal, not even trying to savour the taste.

Fred broke the silence. "Hey do you think Sirius Black is still in the castle? I mean he is trying to get to Harry, right?" I looked down at the mention and grimaced. Why was it that everyone had to bring up Sirius Black around me?

"Oh yeah, I bet he's still on the grounds. Probably trying to find other Death Eaters, most likely his family. Anyone related to him is probably a nutter, or at least a murderer," George said.

I took a sharp breath and stood up, leaving them behind. They looked at each other in confusion and stood up after me. They sped up to walk beside me but I started to run to get away from them. They followed me.

I couldn't believe George would say something like that about me, even if he didn't know it was. Did he really think that all Blacks' were murderous raving maniacs? I tried to control the tears that were streaming down my face and splashing off my chin and onto the floor.

"Cora, slow down." I heard from behind me. I did the opposite and sped up, using my long legs to my advantage. I heard one of them go faster, only one. I knew he was going to catch up on me sooner or later so, as I turned a corner, I jumped out of one of the glassless windows in the wall and fell towards the ground.

Just as I heard him yell in surprise, I transformed into an owl and flew off towards the owlery, hoping that no-one but Fred and George noticed me morph. I glided through one of the owlery windows and was about to change when I noticed Cedric Diggory one of my Hufflepuff friends enter the room.

I changed back into my human self quickly, not caring if he saw me because he already knew my secret. He only found out last year because he caught me in this exact situation, me flying through the window, though I was a parrot at the time.

"Were you just an owl?" He asked warily, like he was afraid I was gonna turn into his mum or something; who I heard can be just as scary as Molly.

"Yeah, I was. Don't ask." I wiped the rest of my tears from my face so he wouldn't notice I had been crying. He still did. The guy was too observant for his own good.

"Hey, are you okay? Why are you crying?" He came over to me and wrapped me up in a hug, and I burst into tears on his shoulder. It was kind of nice to know that someone can make you feel better without them needing an explanation.

I hugged him for ages, at least ten minutes; with I'm pretty sure, a few of the owls staring at us. And, just as I thought, when I opened my eyes to see, I spotted Hedwig, Apollo and Demeter, their gazes locked possessively on me, like they were afraid Cedric would kidnap me or something.

I smiled and pulled back, wiping my eyes on the back of my hand. I lent up and kissed him on the cheek, whispered, "Thank you," and left down the stairs, hoping to get to my dormitory without the twins finding me. I had no such luck.

When I got into the commons I was immediately engulfed by two very similar, very confused red headed twins. I forced a smile at them and tried to walk up the stairs. I would have succeeded had George not grabbed my arm.

"Oh Crap, oh crap oh crap nuggets," I muttered as George turned me back to face them, both with questioning stares. I groaned and sat on the couch, putting my head in my arms. They sat on either side of me, waiting for me to start talking. I tried to think up a good lie, but nothing was coming. A small voice in the back of my head told me to tell them the truth, but I couldn't, I just wasn't ready for that yet.

"Um…I had to…arr…leave to talk to someone really quickly and you don't know who he is so yeah," I came up with really quickly.

Fred waggled his eyes suggestively. "So it's a guy, hey. Is he some sort of boyfriend or something?" My eyes widened and I shook my head at the thought of Cedric that way. It straight away felt wrong; I mean Cedric was like a brother to me.

"No, it's nothing like that. I just needed to talk to him," I said really quickly, and Fred arched an eyebrow, thinking I was lying.

"Sure, so who is the lucky guy? Is he a Ravenclaw? A Hufflepuff? Don't tell me he's a Slytherin," He moaned. I punched him in the arms and he flinched. "Oww."

"There is no 'he'. There never was a 'he', though there is this one guy I really, really reeeeally like, but he wouldn't like me that way," I tried to stop myself from looking at George who, oddly, had been quiet this entire conversation.

"Okay sure I believe that you're not going out with anyone, suuuuure I do," Fred drawled. "I mean it's not like any of the guys here wouldn't go out with you. I mean look at you." He gestured to me and I awed.

"Aw, thank you Freddie, I think you're handsome too." I leant over to whisper in his ear, "and I think you've got a great chance with Angelina." He gulped and I patted him on the back and kissed him on the cheek. I happened to do that a lot.

I got up and ruffled them both on the head. "I gotta study for O.W.L's so I'll see you later." I ran up the stairs and grabbed all of my books, laying them out on my bed to read them. Usually I wouldn't have bothered and just gone and pranked the Slytherins but this was O.W.L's. I mean, this will determine whether I can be an auror or not.

I studied hard for ages until the sound of rain pattering on the windows brought me out of my focused trance. Good thing too, 'cause I probably would have sat there for another few hours before I stopped reading.

I packed my books away back into my trunk and grabbed my P. J's. I got in the shower that was across the room and just stood there for 10 minutes, letting the hot water relax all of my muscles. I quickly washed my hair and body, the hair being a bit unnecessary considering I can change it completely with one thought.

When I hopped out I changed into my clothes and did my usual routine. Brush my teeth, not pack my bag 'cause it was holidays, let Caly out of the room, then go to the 5th year boys dormitory to get in bed with George, the only place where I didn't have nightmares.

When I got to their room, I walked straight past the door and threw myself down on George's bed, snuggling my head into the pillow that smelt exactly like him. I rolled over onto my back and stretched my hands over my head and my toes reaching out.

I heard the door open then a loud gulp, and I looked over to see George looking at the skin on my stomach where my shirt had come up slightly. I blushed beet red and quickly morphed it away, pulling my shirt back down.

"Hey, Georgie. What are you doing up here? I thought you were working on a prank with Fred," I said as he came to sit by me.

"Well we were but Fred wanted to go see Angelina for some reason. Anyway, why are you in here? I thought you were studying," he said in a sharp voice, his eyes looking piercing as he stared at me.

I shook my head. _Did he not want me to be here? Would he rather do something else instead of being with me or did he want to be with me? Maybe he's angry about that whole Cedric thing and me getting a boyfriend, even though I don't even have one._

"Oh, well I was…um…going to go to sleep. So I came to see if you were up here. But I see you're not tired so I'll just…go." I got up to leave him, trying to stop the frown that was trying to creep onto my face. I had just reached the door when I was swung back around and pinned against the door by George.

"I want you to stay here…with me. And you're not going to leave me until I can handle it. Because I…" I waited for him to finish, to give me a sign to do the things that I've wanted to do since 4th grade. "Because I…your my friend."

I mentally groaned as he lost his nerve and I wished more than anything that he would find it again soon. After all, how often do you come across a guy like George? Well twice really, if you count Fred.

**Done, read and review or no update! Lots of love from me**


	10. Secret out

**Thanks reviewers.**

**UmikaWaves:**** Thanks again for the review and I tried to make it as much like something that the twins would do. And I wanted it to be something really gross, which I guess, given from your review, it was. Yes, your right as well abou that, so keep reading and reviewing. She's be around 14-15 and he would be the same.**

It was only a few weeks after the Easter holidays were over and I was already begging for more. I had one more day of O.W.L's and then I can just go and have my normal lessons again. My last one was the Arithmancy test, which I'm pretty sure I did pretty well at, probably because I was pretty talented at that sort of stuff.

Once it was over, and I was leaving the class room with an exhausted yet relieved grin on my face, I decided to head off to Dinner. Arithmancy was almost always held at dusk, when the answers come to you more easily, for some reason.

I got down to the Great Hall and ran quietly in and over to a sit in between George and Harry and immediately picked up the potato bake, piling it onto my plate with a piece of steak and gravy.

We all ate with some jumbled conversations with each other and George turned to me. "How did Arithmancy go?"

"I think it went all right. I'm just happy that it is all over and done with and I can get DADA back," I sighed happily at the thought of going to my favourite class only tomorrow. I looked over at Remus at the head table and saw him talking to Dumbledore. I started to fell horrible about not being able to go to last month's transformations because it was during my Astronomy test. I would have but Remus insisted I took my test.

When dinner had changed to dessert, I grabbed the closest Lemon merengue shooter and started to spoon it into my mouth. It tasted like I had died and gone to heaven, or where ever it is I felt happiest. By the time I had finished my third and was just starting on a portion of the treacle tart, the chatter had turned from loud bellows to quiet and sleepy murmurs.

Finally, when I thought I would pass out right then and there from exhaustion, Dumbledore ordered us all off to bed. I leant against George as we walked back up to the commons and through the portrait of the new Sir Cadogan. I said 'hello' to him as I went past and he tried to challenge me.

When we got there I ran up the stairs as fast as I could and changed into my Gryffindor jersey and shorts. I ran back down and into the boys' dorms, and straight through the door, head banging Fred on the way.

"OUCH!" We both yelled as we fell to the floor, clutching our skulls. I groaned and squeezed my eyes shut, trying to get up off the ground, but only managing to fall back over and hit my side on Fred's trunk.

"Oh Godric, what happened to you?" Lee called to us, emerging form the bathroom. He had a toothbrush sticking out if his mouth and his hair was dripping wet.

I was about to reply when George walked in looking at Fred to me then back again, over and over again. He walked over to Fred, who was closest, and pulled him to his feet, then turned to me to help me up.

"Your hair is blonde," He pointed out as I tried to balance myself out, clutching his arm for support. I grabbed a strand of it and held it in front of my face. And, true to his word, it was a disgusting beach blonde that looked almost white. Happened when I was hurt and angry mixed together.

I morphed it back quickly to its usual black, green and shaggy and let go of George's hand. I collapsed on his bed and laid my head down gently. I reached out for George's hand for him to take and I yanked him down so he was lying next to me.

"Cora, I need to have a shower," He said, trying to get back up. I shook my head against his chest.

"No, you don't you smell amazing, you look amazing. Your all good, now sleep," I demanded and he sighed, stopping with the struggling. He lay down next to me and wrapped his arms around my waist, trying to sleep along with me.

Fred and Lee were in bed by now and I looked up at George to see his eyes closed and hear his deep and even breathing, showing that he was asleep. I smiled and closed my eyes, falling into unconsciousness.

o.O

"Hurry up, guys we're going to be late for transfiguration!" I yelled as I jumped in one shoe, looking for the other. "Come on. Fred, Lee, get up!"

I ran around the boys dorms and found my shoe hidden half-way under Lee's bed. I pulled it on and ran down the stairs, not waiting for them. I ran to breakfast, shoved a sausage and some bacon in my mouth, and ran to professor McGonagall's classroom, just as everyone was starting to pile in.

Only seconds after I sat down at the desk did the twins and Lee appear at the door, all out of breathe. I groaned at the state they were in. Fred and George's hair was messed up, their clothes buttoned up wrong and all creased. And Lee wasn't much better.

They sat on either side of me with Lee beside George, and pulled out their wands and books. McGonagall read out a small passage in her book, congratulated all of us on our O.W.L's, and told us to practise turning a box into a kitten.

Once I had succeeded in turning my box to a kitten several times and back again, I turned to Lee, Fred and George, who were both still having a bit of trouble managing the spell. I sighed and leant over George to get to Lee and corrected his wand grip, then turned to Fred who had almost the same problem but instead was doing the wand movement wrong.

Once I was done instructing Fred in a quiet whisper, I turned to George and looked at his wand movement which was fine, the same as the grip. I wondered what was wrong then listened to him say it. That was good to. I frowned what was wrong with it.

I looked back at his wand, then over at Fred's then back to George. Of course.

"You idiots. Changing your wands around isn't going to trick me into confusing you two up. Godric, I just waisted my time on you when I could have been practising."

They burst out laughing, and just as they were handing their wands back over, the bell rang for the next class. I grabbed my wand and book-bag and ran out of the class, excited for the Defence against the Dark arts lesson.

When I reached the classroom, the twins panting as they caught up to me, I threw the door open, stepping into the room. I skipped over to Remus and gave him a massive hug, dropping my book bag on the ground.

"Hello, uncle Remus!" I yelled excitedly.

He chuckled and patted me on the head, him being almost a half a foot taller them me. I let go of him and smiled slightly, going back to stand beside the twins.

George lent down to whisper in my ear, trying to keep Remus from hearing even thought he would definitely be able to with his wolf hearing, "You never told us he was your uncle."

I shrugged. "Not by blood, and I never really thought it was important." I stood at the front of the class, as the desks were gone for some reason, and bounced excitedly for the class to start.

Finally after a few minutes, the rest of the class filed in through the door and crowded around me. Remus walked over to stand in front of us and flicked his wand, making an old cupboard appear.

"Now, who can tell me what is in there?" he asked as the closet made a violent shake and a loud rumble. I stuck my hand in the air along with a few other people.

"Miss Spinnet?"

"That's a boggart, sir," she said confidently, and Remus nodded his head.

"Correct, and can anyone tell me what a boggart looks like?"

I didn't wait for him to pick me, considering no-one else's hands went up. "Nobody knows. Boggarts are shape-shifters and they take on the shape of whatever a person fears most. That is what makes them so terrifying."

"Yes, you know, you said that exactly like Hermione Granger," He pointed out. "Anyway, the incantation to dispose of a boggart is _Riddikulus_ and it creates laughter as you all shall know. Now, hmm, Mr. Crane, will you please help me."

Brian stood forward and Remus lent down to whisper something in his ear. Brian nodded; Remus flicked his wand, and the ugliest thing I had ever seen stepped out of the closet. It was like a mixture of the Weasleys ghoul and a mummy mixed together. I had to supress a gag at the looks of it.

"R-Riddikulus," Brian yelled and it started to do a funny little dance every time it stood forward. Everyone burst into laughter as it tripped over its own feet and face planted the floor.

"That was wonderful, now everyone form a line, yes, now Mr. Jordan off you go," Remus ordered as Lee stood forward. His boggart, the shape of a squat little man that kept screaming his head off every time he was looked at, turned from having an extremely loud voice to a tiny squeaking noise.

When it got to the twins turns, both of theirs turned into Mrs. Weasley, yelling at them about turning Ron's bear into a spider. It was rather funny to look at as Hermione's cat, Crookshanks jumped on her head and she screamed and ran around.

After a few more people, the boggarts ranging from wart toads to massive mountain trolls; it finally got to my turn. Everyone waited excitedly for what my boggart would turn into, and to be honest, I didn't know what it was myself. I stood in front of the boggart as it laid eyes on me, and I waited. And finally it changed. And it was not what I expected.

Half the people in the room screamed as he stalked towards me, a devilish grin etched on his sunken face. I staggered backwards. Sirius Black grinned even larger at the terrified look on my face.

"What, dear Coraline, still won't give your father a hug." Everyone but Remus and I gasped in surprise, us being frozen by fear and shock to do anything. "What, Coraline, didn't you tell your little friends that you were the daughter of one of the most well-known murderers in the entire wizarding world. What a shame."

He was still walking forward until he was only about two metres away from me when someone moved and Sirius Back had turned back into Molly Weasley. It was like she was being forced back into the closet by some invisible person and the door locked.

I started to shake as I looked up, being met with George's rich brown eyes that were full of hurt and betrayal. I heaved a shaky gasp and did what any normal person would do. I ran for it.

o.O

I didn't know where I was going until I had stopped, falling against the back of Hagrid's house. I cried and cried, letting all of the emotions pour out of my eyes in little drops of water. I couldn't stop thinking about the look on George's face. The look that was probably reflected on the faces of Fred and Lee and the rest of my classmates.

I dissolved into tears once more, jerky shivers racking my body of breathe. I stayed there for what seemed like hours, a continuum of sobbing, crying, and shaky breathing, until there were loud footsteps and a large hairy face appeared around the bend of the hut.

"Cora, what're yer doin' out 'ere? 'Ts almost dark. C'mon, come inside the hut." I grabbed on to his offered hand and pulled myself up, trying to wipe the tears that were still streaming down my face again.

When Hagrid sat me down at the table with a large mug of tea and some rock cakes, I finally managed to quieten my sobs to little whimpers.

"Now, tell me wha's happened," He said simply.

I took a deep breath and told him the whole story, how my boggart had turned into Sirius Black, how it revealed to everyone that I was his daughter, even the look on George's face. By the time I was finished more tears were streaming down my face…again.

Hagrid pulled me over to him with a large hand and squished me into a bone crushing hug, which lasted for a long time. I sobbed into his massive woolly coat.

"Oh, yer poor thin', goin' through stuff like tha' at such a youn' age." I felt him pull out his handkerchief and rub it over his face. I pulled back from him, and smiled slightly.

"Thank you Hagrid," I sighed. "I think I should be going soon." So I waved goodbye to Hagrid and left up to the castle, waiting for even more horrible things to come.


	11. Mentally and Physically hurt

**UminkaWaves: ****Sorry I missed a chapter, but here it is and I apologise again. Hope you enjoy.**

I walked as slowly as I could up to Gryffindor tower, trying as hard as I could to prolong the inevitable. It was kind of ironic how the class I was looking forward to the whole day turned out to be the worst.

When I walked into the common room around 9 o'clock at night, I discovered that the only people still in the commons were the two people I wanted to see the least. I sighed and my eyes, if possible, got even duller. I didn't even notice that the longer I thought about it, the more I went dull and old. I still looked like me, thought with a twinge of what looked like sickness. Like what Remus would look like when it was close to a full moon.

Fred and George were sitting there in front of the fire, their arms folded and not a single word spoken between them. I walked into the room as quietly as possible, though still managed to kick Crookshanks in the stomach accidently.

He meowed loudly, alerting the twins of my presence, who both turned and stared at me with icy eyes. They got up off the lounge and walked slowly over to me, stopping in front of me so my back was facing the portrait hole.

"Why didn't you tell us?" They spoke in unison, still glaring at me with an unspeakable rage.

"Um…I-I," I tried to say, but they cut me off.

"WHY?"

"I-I was afraid you would hate me. That I would never make friends because of who my father was," I tried to explain. "Can you imagine that? Having that weight on your shoulders? Worrying that everyday someone could find out and your life would be ruined."

"But if you told us from the beginning we would have learnt to trust you and gotten to know the real you despite that," Fred pointed out and I laughed dryly.

"Would you, Fred. Are you telling me that you wouldn't judge me the moment you heard my real last name. The moment you found out that I was the daughter of a murderous raving lunatic. I don't think you would have, Fred."

To my hope, it started to look like some of the fire in Fred's eyes softened at my words; like he was beginning to understand but when I turned to George it was as if another whole level of anger was added to him.

"But how can we trust you when we don't know if you're going murder us just like your father killed his best friends?" George whispered in a voice I almost didn't recognise. Even Fred gasped in shock and turned to his twin.

"You didn't, George?" Fred said.

I promptly burst into tears as he continued to glare at me and I angrily croaked out, "Some friend. I thought you were better than that." I turned and ran out of the common room, the portrait calling out to me in worry as the tears poured down my face.

I ran down the corridors, not stopping until I couldn't go for any longer, where I ended up, I didn't know. I leant against the wall, panting, until quite suddenly, I heard a creak. Not just a tiny squeaky step, but a full on creak that came from an old rusty door, and echoed around the room.

I held my breath and turned around, looking for the source of the noise, my heart beating erratically against my ribs. A horrible feeling of terror swept over me as I spotted an old door some ways down the hall and took a step back. I was just about to make run for it, when I spotted an old rat like face turn from the doors edge and start to walk at me.

I made to grab for my wand but it wasn't there, so I looked back at the man. I didn't manage to get a good enough look at his face before a voice cried out, "Sectumsempra!" There was a flash of white light, a searing pain across my face and stomach, and I screamed as I crumpled to the floor.

o.O

I woke up a number of times, never close enough to consciousness to stay there. The first time I woke up, there were worried murmurs, quiet sobbing that sounded like it was from a woman, and footsteps that were probably pacing around the room?

The second time I woke, there were loud footsteps running towards me then two identical gasps of shock. Then there was a quiet mumble, and the scrapping of chairs.

The third time I woke, there was a man whispering so quietly I could barely make out the words but it was something like Vulnera sanentur, and I felt the pain slightly decrease from my body.

The fourth time I awoke I didn't fall back to sleep. My eyes opened blurrily and my body started to shake from the pain that I could still feel. I heard a rustle of sheets then both my hands were picked up on either side.

Finally my eyes un-blurred and I could see the people that sat away from me. And, of course, it was my friends Fred and George, both red and puffy-eyed. I yanked my hands from theirs as I sat up, my hair going red and orange like a blaze of fire as it started to rise up.

Quickly noticing the pain that flared up as I moved, I gasped and hunched over, grabbing at my stomach. There was little cuts all over my arms that were purple-grey in patches from bruising.

"CORALINE!" They both yelled as they saw me gasping. I tried to overcome the stabbing in my guts, blinking my eyes to keep the tears from falling as I turned and looked at them both. My eyes found George as his words echoed in my mind. Did he really think I would kill my best friends?

"Stop it. Stop it. I don't want you here," I moaned, still getting rid of tears. Of course, I was lying. I wanted them here more than anyone, except perhaps Remus.

"No, Cora, please. We're not going anywhere until we apologise," George said. "Please, Cora, you have no idea how much I wish I could take back what I said. You have to know that I didn't mean it. I don't care if your Sirius Black's daughter. I wouldn't care if you were You-know-whose daughter. Cora."

"I don't believe you," I hissed out and squinted my eyes at them. George's face fell at those words and he took a deep breathe.

"Cora, you know how much you mean to us. We've been best friends for five years and I don't know what I would do without you. You have to believe me, otherwise it would never be the same without you with us."

I blinked at him, and saw the wetness in his eyes. "Okay."

This time I let the tears fall freely, laughing shakily as Fred added, "What he said." And then I couldn't help it anymore. I threw myself at them; well rather George as he was the closest, then grabbed Fred and pulled him over to me so I could hug him too.

"I hate you both. I thought you'd hate me," I whispered against them as I sobbed. They tightened their arms around me until I could barely breathe but I didn't tell them, rather having the arms around me in a death grip then not at all.

Just as I pulled back, I heard a quiet screech and then Madam Pomfrey's voice yelling, "Good, you're awake. Misters. Weasley I'm going to have to ask you to leave. My patient needs rest."

She bustled over to me as the twins started to complain then turned on them with a fierce glare. "NOW!" They scampered off, cowering slightly under the dragon like stare that was coming from the matron.

"There now, dear. Drink this down." She handed me a potion and I gulped it down, trying as hard as I could not to gag. The stinging in my face and stomach immediately started to decrease and I lay down happily.

Just then, the doors to the wing flew open and Remus stormed in, followed by Dumbledore, McGonagall and Snape. Remus went straight over to me, grabbing my hand and looking my face over quickly.

"Cora, are you alright? Oh, I thought you were dead when I saw you," He rushed. I held up a hand to silence him then asked the question I had wanted to ask since they arrived.

"Who found me?" Their faces turned slightly grave and I cocked my eyebrow curiously.

"Well… Professor Snape and I found you…which was very lucky because you had been there for a while and was only minutes from death and he knew the counter curse so he saved you, really," Remus explained and my mouth fell open.

I closed it quickly and turned to face Snape with his grumpy sneer on his face. I ignored that and said quietly in a sincere voice, "Thank you, Professor."

His sneer wavered slightly then returned twice as strong. He grunted and looked away. I turned back to Remus and said, "So…how long have I been out?"

"Four days." Dumbledore replied this time. I gasped and tried to get up but Remus pushed me back down.

"I have to practise for the game. It's only in a week," I pleaded.

"No, you must rest. You will be recovered in time for when the match takes place, but until then you need to stay put and not exert yourself," Remus ordered and I sighed in irritation and slapped a hand to my forehead.

"Now, please, my patient has had enough stress as it is without you pestering her, so if you would please leave, I need to tend to her," Madam Pomfrey demanded and ushered them out of the room.

I rested my head back on the pillow, closing my eyes and breathing in deeply. I tried to sleep but it just wasn't coming to me so I did things to pre-occupy myself. My favourite was probably changing my appearance to amuse myself.

I ended up having hair that looked like it was a made of icicles then to feathers, and eyes that were completely black one moment then bright yellow the next.

I ended up with the most bizarre looks though when I was done. I had long jet black-with no streaks- hair that fell to my ass, though it wasn't frizzy, thank Godric. My eyes were an electric blue, my face pale as death, my nose long, and my lips full.

The thing that made me weird was the cat whiskers poking out of my face and the cat ears growing out of my head. I grinned in a cattish way.

After a while it got boring so I made my hair go shoulder length, my irises go silvery-grey and my whiskers and cat ears disappear. I also got my usual colour to my face, which wasn't much really.

So I just sat there, thinking about nothing, until I remembered why I was in the hospital wing. Not because I was attacked by some guy, but because everyone found out about Sirius Black being my father.

I shuddered at the thought of how people would respond to that. Would they be angry, scared? Oh crap, what if they hate me, and then I'm kicked out of Hogwarts and then they'll snap my wand and I'll have to live forever without it, oh crap oh crap oh crap.

Now that I had thought about it, I couldn't stop thinking about it. What if I was completely ignored by Lee and my roommates and…oh no… What will Harry, Ron and Hermione think? They all think my dad is out to get him and so they'll probably think I'm his inside link to get into the castle.

But I supported Harry with the Chamber of Secrets dealy-thing. Would he remember that and not think me a murderer. I didn't want to lose the boy that was most like a brother to me. I was actually his god sister, though I didn't tell him that.

Besides, if anyone thinks I'm gonna kill someone because of my father then they can go shag themselves for all I care. The only people I actually don't want to think badly of me are Harry, Ron, Hermione, my roommates, Cedric, Lee and, of course, the twins.

And it was almost the last Quidditch match, Gryffindor vs. Slytherin. And Harry had his new Firebolt (I knew because I was there when he got it), and Malfoy was too pussy to even play.

And on that happy thought, I finally managed to fall asleep.


	12. End of match glory

**Okay new chapter. Hope you enj-READ AND REVIEW PLEAAAAAAAAAASE!**

UmikaWaves: Thanks for the review, and I'm happy you think so with the relationships between everyone and especially Cora and Hagrid. That one was hard because I had to get it just perfect. Thanks again.

By the time I had got out of the hospitable wing, three days after I had arrived, news of my attack had spread through the school like wild fire. Some people thought it was Sirius Black punishing me on letting people know he was my father, others that I was just at the wrong spot at the wrong time.

The Quidditch final against Slytherin was starting in two days and I was more than ready to play. During the two days that I was practising (It was a weekend) everyone on the team except for the twins and Oliver, because it was too crucial for him to ignore me at this point, didn't talk to me and only referred to me as 'Chaser.' Much like what everyone but me did to Harry in his first year.

When I went into the Great Hall for breakfast the morning of the match, everyone went silent. The last two days I had been going to the kitchen for my food because I wanted things to settle down a bit and I thought now would be good. Harsh whispers greeted my entrance and pointed glares meet my eyes.

Though suddenly, all the Slytherins stood and applauded, laughing crazily as they spotted her. Some whistled and whopped and someone called out. "That's the daughter of You-know-whose right hand man."

I slunk quickly over to the Gryffindor table and sat down in between the twins and across from Lee. Lee, thank Merlin, over looked the fact that Sirius Black was my dad, I think because his own father was in Azkaban and he knew how I felt, which I was extremely grateful for.

The rest of the team sat down around us and started to pick at their food, not wanting to eat anything from nerves. Harry was looking dazed; probably thinking about his Firebolt and Oliver was chewing on his cheek in agitation. I sighed as I saw a Ron and a few other people turn a glare on me, biting my lip. I took a sip of my water and held it between my hands, looking as it rippled.

As it got closer and closer to 11am, I got up and left down to the pitch without the team. I pulled on my Quidditch robes and grabbed my Nimbus 2002, sitting down on the few benches in the dressing rooms.

I sat for a while, thinking about the tactics and the best ways to get up by fifty points for Harry to catch the snitch, until the rest of the team came down at exactly quarter to eleven. They all dressed while I waited anxiously for the game to start, pacing from one end of the room to the other.

When they were all ready, we went out onto the field to see the stands filled with students, ready to see us play. The Slytherin team came out dressed in green and silver and came over to us as we stood next to Madam Hooch. The team captains shook hands, looking like they were trying to crush each other's fingers; Madam Hooch released the Bludgers, Snitch and then blew the whistle, throwing the Quaffle into the air.

I raced up straight away, having the fastest chasing broom, and snatched it out of the air, looping between players as they tried to take the ball from me. I managed to get within shooting distance of the hoops and threw it into the middle hole, making it look as if I was going for the left. I didn't even notice Lee's commentary.

Flint took the ball and speed towards the Gryffindor hoops. Oliver blocked it just in time and I took hold of the ball. Halfway down the pitch I passed to Katie Bell and she scored. Then, much to everyone (except the Slytherin's) disappointment, Warrington took the Quaffle and scored. All this time the Bludgers were zooming around us and Harry was flying around looking for the Snitch.

Angelina got the ball and scored for us, and Katie got it, threw it to me and I scored to. Then Flint scored and I took the ball. I sped down the pitch and was just about to throw to Angelina when she pointed behind me. I turned and spotted a bludger heading straight for me. I moved just in time for it to miss my face, but it instead smashed me in the left shoulder and I held my breath in pain.

I sucked in a breath, still holding the Quaffle then turned and spotted Katie halfway down the court near the Slytherins hoops. I puffed my chest out and brought my arm back, getting ready to do the biggest throw I've ever done.

I threw my arm forward, adding a bit more power by elongating my arms slightly, and the ball flew across the pitch to fast for anyone to intercept it. I heard the crowd go wild as Katie caught it and scored.

I whopped as Angelina then Katie scored again, us finally getting 50 points up. I caught the ball as Flint threw it over my head and tried to get back over to the Slytherin hoops, only to get hit in the side with a well-aimed bludger from Bletchley. I spun off course and started to slip off my broom, until eventually my fingers gave way and I started to fall.

I heard people scream in shock and the Slytherin's delighted yells. I did a free-fall for a few moments then smirked cockily and held my fingers to my lips, whistling loudly. My broom came down and caught me and I shook my head to get rid of the slightly dizzy feeling.

I looked over just as Fred threw his bat at the back of Flint's head and his face smashed into his broom, giving his a bloody nose. We got a penalty which we scored and Wood blocked the one from the Slytherins.

We continued to play until we were around 30-90 when I saw Malfoy going into a dive, his arm stretched out. Harry noticed too and sped off towards him. Trying to give us another boost, I flew forward with the Quaffle in my grasp and threw it straight through the middle hoop, the keeper not even noticing me.

"HARRY POTTER HAS CAUGHT THE SNITCH! GRYFFINDOR WINS!" Lee yelled and a sea of Gold, red, blue, bronze, yellow and black raced down to the pitch, all celebrating that Slytherin didn't get the Quidditch cup.

I flew down and landed on the ground, colliding with Harry as I hugged the life out of him. He hesitantly hugged me back, the decision to trust the girl he had known for 3 years against the decision to push Sirius Black's daughter away.

Just as he hugged me back fully, I felt more collisions as the rest of the team gathered around us, and I felt tears of happiness spill from my eyes just like they were from the girls and Wood. I gasped as I was lifted onto people's shoulders and looked down to see the Gryffindor's underneath me. The rest of the team had been picked up as well.

The Gryffindor's carried us all the way to the common room, where we all pilled in and the twins and I ran up the stairs to bring down our stash of food and drink from Hogsmeade. We brought it all down, conjured it onto a table and everyone dug in, celebrating the first time since Charlie Weasley was here that Gryffindor won the house cup.

I poured myself a glass of the Meade I bought from The Three Broomsticks and took a large gulp, savouring the cheery tinged drink that had slight amounts of alcohol. I walked over to the twins, who were watching the party with pride.

"Guys, where did you get the muggle music from?" I yelled over the song that was blasting out of the enchanted speakers. I didn't know what the song was but it was definitely muggle.

"Fred sneaked it from the muggle music classroom." I ahhed at the simplicity of it all, considering it was one of my favourite classes that I was taking this year. I don't think professor Burbage and Flitwick would like that very much.

"I hope you didn't touch the piano," I growled at the thought of them breaking my favourite thing to play, though it would be simple to fix with magic. If anyone touched my instruments then I'll shove a Violin bow in them.

"No we didn't touch the piano. Please don't kill us!" Fred moaned, not realising the mistake he had made. George hit him on the back of the head and Lee elbowed him in the stomach.

"Kill you" I didn't know why it was getting to me so much. I knew it was a joke, but I guess it just hit home, struck a nerve. I felt tears pricking at my eyes and ran from the room, pushing people out the way as I went.

I heard George call out my name and then feet running after me. I knew it was George following me, knew he wouldn't stop until he caught up to me. Just to make it easier on him I ran to one of the rooms that were on the marauders map, one that even Filch didn't know about.

I stopped as I went in the room and a few seconds later George appeared beside me, panting slightly.

"Damn, you run fast," he moaned. He stopped panting and looked at me. Just looking. No words. I fidgeted my fingers and suddenly thought of that day in the common room when he was talking to me and then he was going to tell me something and then we were interrupted by Neville.

Just as I opened by mouth to speak he said quietly, "He didn't mean it." I closed my mouth and looked at my feet, trying to think of something to say.

"I think I knew that. I justI thought that some people might actually think that I would kill someone over a tiny thing. Because I couldn't. I could never hurt Fred or Lee or the girls orwe-we don't think that you could kill someone. I don't see you like thatinyo-oh screw it." I gasped in surprise at his next actions.

Suddenly as if it was going in fast motion I felt George's lips come down on mine, and then the world seemed to stand still. I brought my hand up to George's neck and gripped at the hair at the nape of his neck as he kissed me tenderly and passionately, like he had wanted to do it for a long time. He put his arms around my waist and pulled my closer until my body was pressed up against his.

I moaned slightly as he licked my lip, asking for entrance, and I opened my mouth. His tongue came in contact with mine and we battled for dominance which he won. I gasped as his tongue left my mouth and instead I plunged mine into his. He moaned in pleasure as he got ready for a whole new round.

Finally, the need to breathe got to strong and I reluctantly pulled back, wishing more than anything that we didn't need to breathe so I could kiss him without stopping. I let my forehead hit his chest as I sighed, licking my swollen lips slightly.

"Holy crapI was kissing George!

I pulled back. "I'm kissing George," I muttered and I felt him stiffen beside me.

"Is that a bad thing?" he asked in a slightly hurt and hopeless way. I looked at him in surprise.

"No, it's the best thing in the world," I spoke, making it final. He seemed to get so happy at just those words and he picked me up spinning me around as his lips found mine again. I smiled again and nipped at his lip, making him groan in pleasure.

I lifted my legs up and wrapped them around his waist as he pushed me against the wall, making me even closer to him. I gasped as I felt his hands trail down my sides until they rested on my hips. I didn't want it to stop.

Though eventually it did. He pulled back and slowly I let my legs fall back to the floor. He grinned breathlessly and picked up a strand of my hair, which was a bright red, a colour I had never had before.

George took my hand and pulled me along with him back to the common room, where the party was still going on hard-core.

**Yay, they finally kissed. I wonder what happens next even though I am the author. READ AND REVIEW PLEEEEASE!**


	13. Break in

**NEW CHAPTER! **

When we got back to the common room, the only person that noticed that we were back was Lee and Fred, the latter looking extremely guilty. As soon as he saw me he rushed over.

"Cora, I didn't mean it. It was a joke," He started to beg and I held my hand up.

"It's fine, it's nothing. Don't worry about it," I said and he sighed in relief. I gave him a small hug and patted him on the back.

"I like you hair," Lee said out of nowhere as I pulled away from Fred. I picked up a strand of my hair so I could see and noticed it had change from being pure black, now with dark red highlights that brought out the colour of my eyes. I blushed and glanced at George who was also blushing, though looking immensely proud of himself.

"Uhh thanks, it kind of just happened, really." I held up a strand so I could look at it again, noticing that it got even redder when I was closer to George, though only a tiny bit.

George walked to stand beside me. "So what did we miss?" he asked. Fred perked up a bit at this.

"Oh, oh, Angelina was told to chug some Meade but she didn't do it so we're trying to find someone who will and then Maclaggen tried to do it but then ended up puking on Percy and got detention for a week, and it was funny." I tried to keep back a laugh at his child-like behaviour.

I was just about to reply when there was a bang and McGonagall came storming in. Apart from the time when she had to bring the twins and I back from the Great Hall cause we had snuck out and in 4th year then this was one of the only times I had seen her in here.

She walked into the common room with her tartan dressing gown and hair net, demanding we all go to bed. Thank Godric she didn't notice the bottle of alcoholic Meade I was holding in my hand.

Everyone groaned as she flicked her wand and all of the food disappeared into a box that settled in the corner of the room. Everyone made their way up to their dormitories, McGonagall leaving through the portrait hole.

I walked up the boys dormitories with the rest of the guys, grabbing my clothes that were at the end of George's bed. I walked into their bathroom, had a quick shower, and changed into my Quidditch jersey and shorts.

When I left the bathroom, George went in next and I went to sit on his bed, talking to Fred and Lee while I waited for him to come back out. We talked about the match and they told me how spectacular I was when I threw that ball across half of the pitch.

I heard George come out of the bathroom and saw Fred get up to go in. The water started as George sat next to me. Lee looked at us then at the door, then at us.

"I think I'm gonna use someone else's shower, okay? See ya," He got up and left out the door with his clothes in his hand. How convenient.

Me and George acted at the same time, both wrapping our arms around each other like we had been doing it for years. My lips found his and they locked together, rhythmically moving with a passion. I slid my hand back down so it rested on his flat stomach, felling his abs.

I moaned as he nipped my lip and I opened my mouth, letting him plunge his tongue into my mouth. We snogged for ages, exploring each other's mouths yet again. We only stopped when I heard the shower turn off, me pulling away.

Fred came through the door with his head wrapped up in a towel. I laughed as he shook his head out and the towel flung off, flying back into the bathroom. He looked over at us and smiled like a 5 year old, jumping onto his bed.

Lee came back a few minutes later and climbed into his own bed, falling asleep almost immediately. I laid down next to George as he threw the covers over me and himself. I snuggled closer to him as he wrapped one of his arms around me and I used the other as a pillow.

George was a sleep within minutes but I couldn't get my mind to rest. I couldn't stop thinking about how I had kissed George and it was fabulous, and how we won the Quidditch cup and the party and my mind was all boggled up.

I was lying there for a total of 23 minutes before I couldn't take it anymore and got up to go downstairs. I reached the bottom of the stairs and tip-toed over to arm-chairs, setting myself in one of them. I lit the fire place with the incendio spell and started to relax.

My eyes were just starting to droop when I heard a scream.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" I bolted up off the couch and ran around the couch colliding with someone. I fell to the ground, the body on top of me, filthy tangle of something touching my neck and a stinging in my cheek.

I rolled it off me and looked up to see my identical eyes staring back at me. I rolled away into a crouch positioned with one of my legs out to the side. What I saw made my own scream of horror left my mouth.

Sirius Black, my father, was only a few metres away from me, staring hungrily into my eyes probably wanting to kill me that very moment. I stared back at him, not being able to move. Suddenly he reached out a hand, as if to touch my face.

"Coraline," he whispered

I heard feet thundering down the stairs, as he stood up and bolted out of the common room. I stayed frozen on the ground crouched like I was ready to defend myself in the muggle way like Amber taught me.

Then there was people surrounding me and Ron was yelling something. I didn't look away from the spot where he had stood, my own flesh and blood only a few feet from me, the man I hadn't seen in 12 years.

"Excellent, are we carrying on?" Fred said brightly, then his smile faltered as he spotted me staring horror-struck at the same spot.

"Everyone back upstairs!" said Percy, hurrying into the common room and pinning his Head boy badge to his pyjamas as he spoke.

"Perce! - Sirius Black!" Ron said faintly. "In our dormitory! With a knife! Woke me up!"

The common room went very still.

"Nonsense!" said Percy," You had too much to eat Ron – had a nightmare-"

"I'm telling you-"

"Now, really, enough is enough!"

Professor McGonagall was back. She slammed the portrait behind her as she entered the common room and stared furiously around her.

"I am delighted that Gryffindor one the match, but this is getting ridiculous! Percy I expected better of you!"

"I certainly didn't authorise this, professor!" Said Percy, puffing himself up indignantly. "I was just telling them all to get back to bed! My brother Ron here had a nightmare-"

"IT WAS NOT A NIGHTMARE!" Ron yelled, "PROFESSOR, I WOKE UP AND SIRIUS BLACK WAS STANDING OVER ME. HOLDING A KNIFE!"

Professor McGonagall stared at him, then noticed me. "Miss Black, what do you think you are doing? How did you get that cut?" She didn't bother using my other last name considering everyone knew about me. I finally stood up as George made his way over to me.

"Ron is right, Professor," I said, "I saw him with my own eyes. He sliced me with the knife." It was probably an accident but he most likely didn't regret it.

"Don't be ridiculous, Weasley, Black, how could he have possibly got through the portrait hole?"

"Ask him!" said Ron and I in unison, shaking a hand at the back of Sir Cadogan's picture, "Ask him if he saw –ˮ

Glaring suspiciously at the two of us, Professor McGonagall pushed the portrait back open and went outside. The whole common room waited with baited breath.

"Sir Cadogan, did you just let a man enter Gryffindor tower?"

"Certainly, good lady!" Cried Sir Cadogan. There was a stunned silence, both inside and outside the common room.

"You- You did?" Said Professor McGonagall, "But- but the password!"

"He had 'em!" said Sir Cadogan proudly, "had the whole weeks! Read off a little piece of paper!"

Professor McGonagall pulled herself back through the portrait hole to face the stunned crowd. She was white as chalk.

"Which person," she said, her voice shaking, "which abysmally foolish person wrote down this week's passwords and left them lying around?'

There was utter silence, broken by the smallest of terrified squeaks. Neville Longbottom, trembling from head to fluffy- slippered toes, raised his hand slowly into the air.

o.O

After Neville got the yelling at of a life time, McGonagall turned to me and told me to follow her. She led me out of the common room and in the direction of the hospital wing, where she was most likely going to get Madam Pomfrey heal my cut.

After I was all healed, which I found rather unnecessary, she led me back through the corridors, but I didn't end up back at the common room. I didn't even go to Dumbledore's which I was expecting. But no, I went to my dear uncle Remus.

McGonagall left me at the door with a small nod as she left to go inform the staff of the night's events. I knocked on the door and entered, making my way through the maze of desks and up the stairs to the office.

I knocked again on the office doors then entered then went over to the door that was around the back of the room. I knocked for a third time and heard a muffled enter. I went through the door to see Remus sitting in a comfy looking armchair reading a book.

"Hey, uncle," I said and went and sat on the arm of the chair.

"Hello, niece," he replied, 'what brings you to my office at… 2:00 in the morning." He looked at his watch as he spoke.

"Oh no reason, just that my dad broke into the Gryffindor common room and tried to kill Ron and me, you know, the usual," I said sarcastically. He stood up so quickly that I fell to the floor, landing with a thud on my butt.

"This is bad. Are you okay, Cora? Is Ron? What about Harry?" he ranted as he pulled me back to my feet.

"Everyone's fine. Black got away. I kind of had a run in with him though, so yeah." I shuffled my feet as he turned his fierce stare on me.

"You saw him? What did he look like?" Remus asked sitting back in his chair.

"Well, he was really ill looking and his hair was all tangles and grotty and went to his elbows. And his eyes were all empty but when he saw me he looked really excited and happy," I explained.

He rubbed his forehead, sighing as he thought about the news.

"Okay, well, I don't really know what to say. Let me take you back to the common room and I'll talk to you tomorrow."

He stood up and slipped on him his slippers, leading me out of the defence against the dark arts classroom and down the hall in the direction of the commons. When we reached the portrait, I gave the password and it swung open. I said goodbye to Remus, gave him a quick hug, and went through the portrait hole.

Everyone was still in the common room, not going up to get some sleep. I made my way over to where the twins were sitting with Harry, Ron and Hermione. Sitting down next to Harry and George, I pulled my legs up to my chest and placed my head on them.

No one got back up for the rest of the night.

**DONE IT IS FINISHED THE CHAPTER IS FINISHED! READ AND REVIEW!**


	14. Teaching the wizards

**Okay new chapter, this is great. Read and review or no update.**

Once again, I found myself in a position I did not want to be in. The scorching heat, forcing everyone to be outside, was driving most people insane and the lake was too hot to satisfy anyone's need for cold.

Being extremely bored with life as I lay on the grass with the twins, Ginny, Harry, Ron and Hermione, I felt the growing need to do something that would get me hyped up enough to help with my boredom. Maybe a good game of muggle sport.

"Hey Harry," I said, sitting up. He rolled his head to face me, beads of sweat on his forehead.

"Yeah?"

"Do you, by any chance, know how to play Basketball or maybe even soccer?" I asked him hopefully.

"Yeah, why?" he said in curiosity.

"Oh excellent. Well, we're gonna go play a game so get up, Hermione are you gonna play?" She sighed.

I got up, dusted off the back of my shorts, and pulled Harry and Hermione to their feet. Everyone perked up at the sound of actually doing something and managed to get to their feet as well.

We walked over to the deserted Quidditch pitch, where Hermione and I took out our wands and conjured up a basketball and transfigured the hoops into basketball hoops. I also changed my shoes into runners.

"Harry, you want to be captain?" I asked him and he shrugged his shoulders.

"Okay, I'll be captain too. You can go first then I'll explain the rules." Harry picked George, I picked Fred, then Harry got Ron and I got Ginny. Hermione decided to ref.

I explained all of the rules to them and then decided who would jump. We both picked Fred and George because they were the tallest and the same height. Hermione threw the ball up in the air and Fred hit it out so that Ginny could get it. She dribbled the ball so well I had the suspicion that she had played it before.

I ran down to my side of the court just as Ginny got to me. She threw it to me and I scored. The rest of the game went on like that. Each of us getting the ball and scoring until the other team got the ball. Ginny actually seemed really good at shooting, almost as good as me.

I stopped mid- dribble as a cold drawling voice called out to us, "what on earth are you doing?" I growled as I turned and spotted Malfoy and his cronies, Crabbe and Goyle, coming towards us.

"What does it look like, dick-head," I hissed at him and he glared daggers at me. Crabbe and Goyle cracked their fingers.

"How dare you talk to me like that? Filthy blood-traitor. You're a disgrace to the wizarding world." I scoffed at his words.

"Oh please, look who is talking. The epitome of bad blood. Outcast because your father is a death-eater. You're a hypocrite," I said in disgust, wanting more than anything to wrap my arms around his neck and strangle him till he was begging for mercy, which I would give him.

"You dare speak of my father that way?" he retorted, trying to regain some dignity. I rolled my eyes.

"Yes just go and run off to daddy like you did when you got a tiny scratch from Beaky. Yes daddy will make it all better," I smiled sarcastically at him and he glared straight back.

"Oh well you should know all about that. Didn't your father kill his best friends for The Dark Lord just so he could get away from your blood-traitor mother? Yep, your mother was betrayed by you father."

I heard the others gasp in anger and surprise and George and Harry yell angrily, "You didn't!"

I couldn't help myself. It was like I had lost control of my body, and a raging best had taken control. I lunged at Malfoy, kicking and punching wherever I could reach, managing to get him in the balls a few times before I was pulled away by Crabbe and Goyle.

I turned on them and growled inhumanly. I felt my nails elongate and my teeth sharpen into points. My hair flared up a great golden colour and I lunged at them so fast that I was just a blur. I bashed their heads together and kicked them in the nuts until they crumpled to the floor.

I breathed heavily as I started to calm down, my hair falling back and going to its usual back colour. Malfoy, Crabbe and Goyle scampered away, clutching at their privates. I huffed once and shook my head, turning to face the rest, though keeping my eyes locked on the ground. They were all staring at me in shock, like they had never seen that side of me before.

"That was bloody awesome!" Ron broke the silence and clapped me on the back. Harry and Ginny gave me a one armed hug, Fred and George picked me up onto their shoulders and Hermione looked on in disapproval though a smile was playing at the corner of her mouth.

I flicked my wand and the basketball court turned back into a Quidditch pitch, the basketball disappearing. The twins carried me all the way back up to the commons, and deposited me on the couch. I laughed as Fred jumped on me, adding his own weight on top of me so I could barely breathe.

I coughed as it got a bit too much, and rolled over so he fell off me and onto the floor, landing sprawled out and guilty.

"Ha, you fell," I laughed like a little kid and jumped off the ground, throwing a pillow at George's face. He stared at me mischievously and gabbed another pillow, pegging it at me. I caught it but as I moved it away from my face, I saw George running at me. He grabbed me around the middle and threw me to the ground, tickling me till I screamed with laughter.

"Are you two going out?" the question came from nowhere, leaving Ron's mouth without his control. George and I looked over at him in surprise, our checks flaming red.

"Um…" I turned to George and whispered in his ear, "Are we?" He looked into my eyes and said as if it was obvious.

"Yes, but don't tell them just yet," I whispered to him. George frowned and got back up, pulling me to my feet.

"No, not really," George said, with a slight frown on his face. Not paying attention, we didn't notice the others glance at each other in exasperation and roll their eyes.

"Who wouldn't date my sister? She's an amazing person," Harry said, sounding bewildered.

"Sister?" George asked in shock.

"God sister," We explained, me tearing up at Harry thinking of me as a sister. Of course, I thought of him as a brother too.

"How did you know?" I asked Harry, and he shrugged his shoulders.

"Heard the teachers talking about it." I nudged his shoulder and laughed slightly, thinking about all the conversations I had overheard. Like when I heard Snape giving a book to Rosmerta called 'Euphoria unbound'. Ah good times.

I sat back down on the couch, this time next to Ginny and Harry, and watched as Ron played a game of wizard's chess with Fred, the latter winning. Fred's queen smashed Ron's king across the board and then did a little victory dance.

Yawning slightly, I turned and rested my head on Harry's shoulder, resting my eyes. I heard George say that he was taking me upstairs, and then Fred say he would come too, but I wasn't really paying attention.

I felt George lay me down on his bed then crawl beside me, letting my head fall back onto his chest. I murmured goodnight and heard them say it in return before my eyes slowly dropped and I fell into a light sleep.

o.O

I woke up to the sound of hushed whispers across the room, the mumbling noise bringing me out of my sleep. I pecked through my eyelids and saw George talking to Fred. I listened in.

"So you finally got her? You've been wanting to for ages," Fred said to George.

"Yeah, well I've liked her since 3rd grade, I just didn't know if she liked me back. I feel about her how you feel about Angelina," He explained.

Fred's mouth fell open, "Your In love with her? Oh crap." So he is in love with Angelina. Not surprising she's a great girl.

"Oh, Freddie's in love with Angie. How adorable," George said in a baby voice, smirking like a kid.

"Shut up! You're in love with Cora!" He yelled, but still in a quiet voice, thinking I was asleep.

"Yeah…well…that's different…I…and she…I…Fine! I've loved her since I practically met her! Are you happy now?!" He yelled angrily. It was all I could manage not to jump up and kiss him right then. George Weasley loves me, really loves me, and it made me the happiest person in the world.

o.O

When I woke up again, it was already the morning. I groaned and pulled myself into a sitting position. I looked blurrily around the room and yawned, scratching my back then stretching my arms out.

I looked at Fred and Lee, who was snoring, the latter with his butt stuck up in the air. I held back a laugh and turned to George, who was breathing lightly. I smiled at him and reached a hand over, running it through his soft hair.

He took a deep, soothing breath and turned slightly so my hand was on his cheek. I gazed at him, not believing that I could feel this strongly for one of my best friends, and was just about to get up when I heard a moan from behind me.

I turned to see George, his eyes wide open, staring at me with an expression of longing and adoration. I smiled back in the same way and lent back over him, pressing a small and gentle kiss on the corner of his mouth.

I left without a word and went back to my own dormitory. I picked up my school uniform, changed into it quickly, than ran my hands through my hair, making it go soft and untangled. I put my shoes on then ran down the stairs, and back up to the boys.

"Guys, I'm going to breakfast. I'll see you in Potions." I left them and went down to breakfast, walking quickly through the halls, until I reached the Great Hall. I went through the oak doors and went and sat over by the almost empty Gryffindor table. It was only occupied by a few 4th years and two 1st years.

I helped myself to a platter of bacon, piling it onto some toast with egg. I ate it in a record of 4 minutes. I then got up, left the Hall, and went all the way up to the fourth floor. From there, I entered Professor Burbage's classroom, me being the only one in that class.

"Hello, dear," the blonde haired woman said, appearing from her office, "It's nice to see my favourite pupil on such a drowsy day." And she was right. I looked out the window and noticed the cloudy dark sky that was about to burst forth the rain at any moment.

"Good morning, Professor. What are we learning today?" I asked eagerly and she beamed at my enthusiasm.

"Well I wanted you to play a few songs for me today. The ones you already know, so I can decide what to teach you for next year."

My eyes widened in joy as I made my way over to the piano, sitting down and getting ready to play all the songs I know which, was a lot.

I started off with slower song, called numb, then went on to play more songs like Dire straits, Giovanna Alevi-back to life, Helen Jane long- expression, Carly Commando- everyday, Yiruma- river flows in you, Do you feel- rocket summer, 4 mains- Wim Mertens, and other things like that.

By the time I was done, Professor Burbage was staring at me in shock and delight.

"Is that all you know?" She asked like she would feint if I knew more.

"No, those are just the ones that don't have singing with them," I explained, making her mouth fall open. She gaped wordlessly while I blushed a deep crimson.

"Uhh…you can go now. I need to reconsider some things."

**No review= No update**


	15. Memories

**Okay new chapter, this is great. Read and review!**

I panted heavily as I finally reached the first floor, having just gone down from the top floor to send off a letter to Amber. I sighed as I finally sat down at the Gryffindor table for Lunch, picking up an apple and munching into it.

I started to shuffle through my bag when I heard someone clear their throat loudly. I looked up and saw a boy with Platinum blonde hair and in Slytherin uniform.

"Malfoy," I greeted coolly, waiting to hear what he was gonna say.

"Black," He replied, with a terse nod, probably still scared that I would kick him in the nuts again. "Dumbledore wanted me to give you this." He held out a scroll and I took it eagerly, opening it up.

I opened it then looked up at Malfoy, who was peaking over my hands to try and read the note.

"What are you doing?" I asked, and he stopped trying to see.

"Umm, trying to see what that is."

I rolled my eyes and smirked, "Well could you stop. I'm trying to see."

I unrolled the parchment and read through it.

_Dear Miss. Black,_

_You are to report to my office as soon as this message reaches you for your first real lesson._

_Yours sincerely,_

_Prof. Albus Dumbledore_

_P.S I do love lemon drops_

I groaned and banged my head one the table, moaning, "Why now? I just came from up there! Are they trying to kill me!?" I dragged myself to my feet and started to walk back out of the hall and up the marble staircase. Just as I was going up a staircase as it moved, I turned and saw that Malfoy was still next to me.

"Why are you still here?" I asked curiously, wanting him to leave.

"I'm bored. Crabbe and Goyle are in the hospitable wing from eating way too much."

"Do you even like them?" I asked him.

"No, not really. There complete idiots, can't even read. They're useful though." I shook my head in disgust, though I didn't really care because it was Crabbe and Goyle. I didn't even know why I was talking to Malfoy.

"Okay, that's weird, but whatever, cause I don't give a crap about them. Wait, why am I talking to you? You're the one that's trying to get Buckbeak killed. You are a horrible person." I looked disgustedly at him then turned and walked faster up the stairway, taking a short cut so I disappeared from sight.

I arrived at Dumbledore's office, said Lemon drops to the gargoyles then climbed up that spiral staircase. I knocked on the door then entered as Dumbledore said enter. I went in and waved to him, saying Good afternoon.

"Hello, Coraline. Lemon Drop?" I took one, smiling, and popped it into my mouth.

"Now it is time for me to actually teach you something. I am aware that you are part Veela, am I correct?"

I nodded my head, "My mother was half Veela," I explained.

"Good, well, as you know, Veela can control fire, water, wind and earth, and some few half Veela's can control them as well, your mother being one of them. I taught her how to harness these powers, as I hope to teach you."

My mouth fell open in surprise as I gaped at him, trying to take in what he was saying. Finally, getting the message, I squealed and jumped up and down, my hair going a wild green colour in happiness.

"Oh, really! That is so awesome! Can we start now?!" I asked and yelled, still jumping up in down. Dumbledore chuckled and gestured for me to settle down.

"Yes, we will start now." He got up from behind his desk. "Now if you will." I moved closer and he took his wand out and waved his wand over me, making a light glow come from my body.

It was like I was suddenly aware of every fibre in myself, much like how I feel when I morph into an animal, but instead of moulding my energy into a different shape, I just pushed it forward creating the energy in my hand. Even Dumbledore looked shocked.

"Well, this is a surprise. I have never heard of anyone being able to do this. It appears, Coraline, that you can make energy that are at least 1000 times the danger of fire, though you can still make that." I made the ball disappear by drawing back my energy.

I did it again, only this time it was a different colour. Instead of being the golden yellow it was before, it was now a light blue. I let that disappear to, and then tried it out differently. I jumped as a ball of fire appeared on my hands and dropped the fire onto the floor.

I quickly held my hand out and this time, a stream of water spurted from my palm, putting the fire out. I looked around at Dumbledore sheepishly, but he was beaming at me.

"Excellent! I didn't expect you to get it so quickly, but alas, you proved me wrong. Now if you will try it again."

I practised it again and again until I got the hang of fire, though the water, wind and earth were harder for me to handle, but the balls of energy were easy as well. By the time I was finished, I had been there for 3 hours and had missed the rest of my classes. I brought this up to Dumbledore, but he said he had explained to the teachers were I would be.

After giving me some good advice, telling me that I had done very well, then dismissing me, I went down to the Great Hall so I could catch the end of desert.

When I got there, I went and sat over in between the twins, going to grab the closest lemon meringue shooter, but I was too late, having spent the last ten minutes after leaving Dumbledore's office going down the stairs. My hand went straight through the glass and it shimmered and disappeared.

I sighed and banged my head on the table, getting up with the rest of the students. George patted me on the back as we walked up to Gryffindor towers. I didn't make conversation with the twins no matter how much they tried, and when we got to the portrait (Flibbertigibbet) I went straight over to the couch and plopped right down, putting my arm over my eyes.

I lay there for a while, wishing I could go down to the kitchens without being caught, but I didn't have the marauders map with me anymore, and the corridors were swarming with teachers and staff. Of course I could morph into a different animal, a much smaller one, or even change into a teacher, but I didn;t have the strength from all of my lessons with Dumbledore.

I bolted upright as an idea popped into my head. I got up, accidently kicking Fred in the stomach, and bolted up the stairs to the 3rd year boys dorms.

"Harry!" I yelled as I burst into his room, startling him and Ron as they poured over homework in the peace and quiet. "I need to borrow your cloak and map."

"What, why?" He asked curiously, a drop of ink falling onto his paper.

"Because I missed dinner and have only eaten an apple all day and I'm starving my ass off and I want foooooood!" I whined in a single breath, causing Ron and him to raise their eyebrows.

"I don't have the map anymore but I guess you can use the cloak. It's in the trunk." He pointed it out as I opened his trunk and started to search, picking up the silvery material as it touched my hand.

"Thanks, bro," I called over my shoulder as I ran down the stairs and out the portrait hole, throwing the cloak over myself. I ran down the corridors, making sure that the cloak didn't flutter up, and made my way for the kitchens.

I stopped in front of the painting of the fruit bowl and tickled the pear, it giggled then turned into a big green doorknob. I opened it up and walked into the room, almost being knocked over as a few house-elves slammed into me, knocking me over.

"Hello," I said to the elves as they asked me what I wanted. I asked for a few steaks, salad, potato and gravy and pumpkin juice. They went off instantly. I sat down at one of the long tables and ate my food, not stopping until my belly felt like it would burst.

Suddenly, the door opened and I heard footsteps fast walking over to me. I looked up and spotted Remus, looking stern, and holding none other than the marauders map in his hand.

"Hey, Remus," I said sleepily, sipping some more juice. He sat down across from me, put the map within my view and pointed to one of the dots on the paper. I looked over it, squinting to make out the words.

PETER PETTIGREW

"That's not possible. Peter's dead," I spoke in shock, "but the map never lies." I looked up at Remus who was fiddling with his fingers.

"You do know what this means, right?" Remus asked, "Peter isn't dead, which means that Sirius didn't kill him, which means that he didn't blow up the street and kill all those muggles. So why did Peter say he did? Is it because Sirius is innocent?"

At just those words it was like a floodgate of memories had opened up in my head and many memories poured out. It was like I was seeing them all in third person

_Sirius, clutching toddler me to his chest as his tear drops fell into my depressing grey hair and mine soaked into his shirt, my small chubby arms wrapped around his neck._

_It changed… Crying Sirius screaming my name as Dementors dragged him away from crying me, who was being held by Remus, who also had tears in his eyes._

_It changed again… Me sitting in a corner of a room whispering 'daddy' over and over again as two people, Amber and Remus looked on, concerned._

_It changed again… Me clutching at a pair of rusty old bars, looking in at Sirius as he put his hands over mine, whispering that he didn't do it, that it was Peter._

This went on for a long time, constant memory upon memory piling on top of each other until I was absolutely convinced that my father was innocent. They stopped as Remus waved his hand in front of my face.

I shook my head then whipped my head up so fast I swear I got whiplash. Remus looked startled then asked what happened. I explained it all to him, though keeping the details of the memories to myself. I finished with one line. "My dad isn't guilty."

I jumped over the table and strangled Remus with a massive hug, yelling over again, 'he's innocent, he's innocent.' Remus coughed from my hug, not being able to breathe. It was a good thing the next full moon wouldn't be for another week. I let go of him and looked over at the elves, who were politely minding their own business, though as they saw me looking they scampered over.

"Hey, why do you have the cloak?" Remus asked and I looked at it.

"I missed dinner so Harry let me borrow it so I could come here," I explained," Why d'you have the map?"

"I thought that this in the hands of Sirius could endanger Harry, but that was before he told me that he had seen Pettigrew on the map. I just wanted to make sure it wouldn't fall into the wrong hands."

"Understandable," I responded, "At least we don't have to worry about that anymore, though. But we should still be cautious when we see Sirius again because we don't know how he will react."

The house-elves cleared the dishes away, asked Remus and I if we needed anything, which we both declined, then moved away. I got up with Remus, threw the cloak over myself, then we walked out of the kitchen, both feeling much better than when we had walked in.

**Finished chapter, please read and review because I won't update if you don't. Also, I hope you enjoyed and next chapter will be up straight after my next reviews.**

**~Althea**


	16. Are we?

**New chapter again. READ AND REVIEW!**

**Serious Pumpkin: ****Thanks for the review and I know my writing isn't the best, but in my opinion the story gets better the more you read so keep reading. Thanks again, and I hope you **

When I got back to the common room, I was pretty sure Fred and George were going to burst with worry. The moment I stepped through the portrait hole, I was engulfed by two read heads then dragged up some stairs, safely, I might add, then thrown on someone's bed.

I swung my arms out as I landed, but missed my target, instead going through thin air. Blushing in embarrassment, I glared up at the twins and started to yell, but was immediately silenced the twins, who were yelling in fright.

"Where the hell were you!? We were worried to the shit house!?" Fred yelled.

"I thought you'd been taken by Black! Why didn't you tell us where you were going, just disappearing like that!?" George yelled as well, talking over Fred and vice versa. Finally, when the yelling got too much.

I stood up, them watching my every movement, quickly cast a silencing charm on the room then screamed at the top of my lungs. And it really shut them up. They stopped talking at my sudden noise, their mouths open. I glared at them then said in a deathly calm of voice.

"Maybe, I don't need to get your permission over every place I go, maybe you're not the boss of me and maybe I can do what I fucking want without you having to know!" I glared at them, my hair a deep red, and then stormed out of the room.

They ran after me, calling out apologies and things but I didn't listen, too deafened by my own rage to hear what they were trying to tell me.

I ran up the stairs to the girl's dorms, tears polling up in my eyes, for some unknown reason, a whirl-wind of voices in my head. Just as I reached the top of the stairs, I felt my feet start to slip, and yelled as the stairs, now a slide, made me fall back down them, sliding on my back to the very bottom.

I collided with the twins, who had caused the change, and we landed in a heap on the floor. I groaned at the sharp stinging sensation in my side, and the aching over my body, creating a sharp pulsing in my head. The twins seemed un-hurt.

"Cora, I'm so sorry! Are you okay?! We didn't mean it! We were just worried, is all," They said as I dragged myself away from them, clutching at my side. My breath came in deep rasps, and my throat felt scratchy.

"Stay away from me," I moaned and saw them glance at each other, hurt, and all signs of their usual easy-going manner gone. The last hour of happiness I felt about Sirius being innocent had evaporated like dew in the morning sun, leaving me cold and empty inside. I wanted to see him, my father, more than anything.

"Please Cora," George said, holding his hands out to me. I looked from them to his face then back again, sizing him up with narrowed eyes. Did he think I was some incapable girl that needed help wherever I went?

I slowly held my hand out, not being able to resist the look on his face, slipping my small hand into his large ones. His lips broke into a smile as I scotched closer and, quiet suddenly, he yanked me over to him and enveloped me in a massive hug, causing my cheeks to stain read again.

I shifted around so I could wrap my arms around him as well, then reached an arm out and pulled Fred in too, who had a smirk on his face. The few people left in the commons were staring at us with funny looks, as though they were watching a funny movie whish was starting to be boring.

I stood up, bringing them both to their feet, then walked back up the girls staircase, leaving George dazed with a slap-happy expression on his face and Fred with a weird grin. With my own grin plastered on my face, I walked through the door to the dorm.

o.O

I'm pretty sure professor Binns was almost as bad as Trelawney, in his own way, considering he almost bored the class to death. I was sitting in his class, beside Angelina and Lee, and we were all practically asleep on our desks.

My head lolled backwards, my eyes fluttered shut, my brain completely zoned out of the room. If it wasn't for the light snoring coming from Lee that was keeping me awake, I probably would have passed out right then and there.

So apparently falling asleep in class is a bad thing, because the next thing I was aware of, is professor Binns passing his hand through Lee's, Angelina's and my head. We jumped in shock and shivered, the icy felling spreading coldness through our bodies. Like a brain freeze.

"Detention, for falling asleep and snoring in class," he decided and we jumped up in anger.

"Other people are doing it! Why are you picking on us?" We yelled at him.

"You will not talk back to the teacher. Friday night, 8:00pm trophy room." He moved back off to the front of the class, picked up his paper, and started to read again. We glowered at him, and I wanted more than anything to throw a book through his transparent head.

o.O

So Lee, Angelina and I made our way to the trophy room the next day at 8:00pm sharp, getting there just as my watch reached the designated time. We walked into the room to see Filch standing there with a bucket, scrubbing brush and soap along with rags to polish and buff them. He told us what to do, which was quite obvious, then, smirking, left the room.

I leant down, grabbed a scrubbing brush and the nearest trophy, then scrubbed it until there were no marks on it at all, than I grabbed a rag and polished it till it was shiny. It was a repeated routine by all of us, tiring and seeming completely pointless.

"Hey, you're dating George, right?" Angelina asked out of no-where. I stopped my polishing.

"I don't really know. I mean, he hasn't asked me out or anything, but we have kissed a few times and all but no I don't think we are. I really want to though," I said sadly, wanting to drop the subject.

"Well, if I were you I wouldn't get too worried," She said mysteriously and I looked at her.

"Have you heard something?" I asked quickly, heart starting to accelerate in the hope that he'd been talking about me. I averted my eyes so they wouldn't see the grin on my face, but the feeling of happiness seemed to radiate from me like a heater, spreading it all throughout the room.

"Maaaaaaaaaayble," she said, drawing out the syllables. I threw the rag at her, but she dodged, and it hit Lee instead. He pulled it off his face and pouted, looking like a dear caught in headlights. He glared at me, said nothing, and then turned back to his polishing. Angelina and I did the same.

After a while it got incredibly boring so I did the one thing that would amuse me because it was extremely funny. I sang 'Dumb ways to die' (I own nothing (Mysterious voice)

Set fire to your hair

Poke a stick at a grizzly bear

Eat medicines that's out of date

Use your private parts as piranha bait

Dumb ways to die, so many dumb ways to die

Get your toast out with a fork

Do your own electrical work

Teach yourself how to fly

Eat a two week old unrefrigerated pie

Dumb ways to die, so many dumb ways to die

Invite a psycho-killer inside

Scratch your drug dealer's brand new ride

Take your helmet off in outer space

Use your clothes dryer as a hiding place

Dumb ways to die, so many dumb ways to die

Keep a rattlesnake as a pet

Sell both the kidneys on the internet

Eat a tube of superglue

"I wonder what's this red button do."

Dumb ways to die, so many dumb ways to die

Dress up like a moose during hunting season

Disturb a nest of wasps for no good reason

Stand on the edge of a train station platform

Drive around the boom gates at a level crossing

Run across the tracks between the platforms

They may not rhyme but they're quite possibly

Dumbest ways to die ie

Dumbest ways to die

Dumbest ways to die

So many dumb

So many dumb ways to die

By the time I was finished, the other two were staring at me in amazement and amusement.

"What?" I asked innocently, though secretly I knew exactly why they were staring.

"You're an amazing singer. How come we've never heard you sing before?" Angelina asked, sounding puzzled.

"Well because you've never bothered to come to one of my muggle music classes," I suggested. They looked at each other sheepishly then said in unison.

"We'll come to the next one," they promised.

"Well, the next one is on Monday, so feel free to accompany me at 7:30 in the morning." They nodded their heads a bit reluctantly, as though they were already regretting having promised, and said they'd be there, and that they would get the twins to come along too.

By the time we had finished, around 11:30, Filch came back, inspected the trophies, than dismissed us grudgingly. We practically ran from the room, feeling freedom had finally come.

Just as we reached the portrait of the fat lady, I heard footsteps behind me and turned, spotting Fred and George just as they came around the corner. They stopped dead in their tracks, and then started again, coming towards us.

"Where were you?" Lee asked them.

"Detention for Snape," they explained and we gave the password, walking into the commons. We all collapsed by the fire, scaring a few first years into moving away, though not intentionally.

"When's the next Hogsmeade trip?" I asked, wanting to get some more chocolate from Honeydukes.

"Not tomorrow, but the weekend after," Fred responded, looking at Angelina, who was looking at the fire. I smirked knowingly.

"OK, well I'm off to take a shower." I stood up and walked up the stairs to the girls dorms.

After washing the smell of polish out of my skin, I climbed out of the shower, dried myself with a spell, than changed into my P.J's. I climbed into my own bed for the first time in weeks and drew the curtains. I would've gone back to George, but I wanted to see how I would fair with the new knowledge about Sirius.

I lay in bed for ages, though sleep didn't come, most likely because I was so used to sleeping with George that being without him felt wrong. I rolled over onto my back and looked at the roof of my bed, wondering if George found it hard to sleep as well. I was completely restless, and I felt as though staying in that bed would get me nowhere.

After a while, I fell into a fitful sleep, though thankfully no dreams plagued my mind. It didn't last long though, and I woke with a start, my eyes flying open and my head aching. Eventually, it got too hard to sleep and I got up, pulled on my jumper, and went and sat on the couch in the common room. It was a surprise to see that someone was already there.

I walked over to them, not being able to mistake the Weasley hair, though it was not who I expected. It was-

"Ginny?" She looked up at me, her face flaming up in a blush as I noticed her puffy, red-rimmed eyes.

"What's wrong?" I sat down beside her, though I still faced her and turned her around so that she was facing me as well.

"It's nothing, I'm fine," She said, the lie obvious in her voice. I rolled my eyes.

"No you're not," I said, "is this about…by any chance…Harry?" She gulped and did the slightest nod of her head. I sighed and pulled her in for hug.

"Explain," was my only word. She launched into her thoughts about Harry, how she's liked him since first year, how she wished he would notice her the way she noticed him, and that she didn't know what to do about any of this. I gave her the only explanation I could.

"You need to stop getting all shy and not talking when you're around him. He doesn't get a chance to see the real you. Have some fun, lighten up and show him how great you are. He'll come around eventually, and I know Harry more than anyone, he's like a brother to me."

She looked at me and smiled shakily, before giving me another hug and saying she was going back to bed. I smiled after her reassuringly, and she gave me a watery one back, before disappearing up the stairs. It was great to see that she was finally feeling better, but I had my doubts about whether she could pull herself together in front of him.

"That was really nice of you." I jumped as the voice spoke seconds after Ginny had gone. I whipped around, trying to see where the voice was coming from, and spotted George sitting on the stairs to the boy's dorms, his back pressed to the wall.

"George!" I whispered loudly, standing up. He got up off the stairs and walked over to me, looking happy but confused as he took my hand in his.

"Why didn't you come sleep with me tonight?" he asked. I looked into his rich brown eyes and with a wisp of a smile on my lips, said.

"Because I found out this private news and I wanted to see if it would help my sleeping problems. It didn't work so I was actually going back up to you when I found Ginny down here. I couldn't even get to sleep when I wasn't with you, George. I've gotten so used to you being there that I can't sleep without you," I continued.

"Really? I couldn't sleep either. It just didn't fell right you being gone. And I must admit I was really confused that you didn't tell me, because I wanted to talk to you and I didn't get a chance."

I stared at him, "What we're you going to talk to me about?" He started to fiddle with his hands looking from me to them and back again nervously. I put my hand over his so he would stop, than lifted his chin up with my other so he would look at me.

"What were you going to ask?"

"WillgotoHogsmeadewime?" he asked so fast I couldn't understand him.

"Say what?"

He gulped and tried again. "Will you go to Hogsmeade with me?" I gaped at him. Did he really think I would say no? Is that why he was so nervous?

"Of course I will," I responded, beaming at him. He matched my expression then suddenly grasped my waist with his hands and pulled me closer, his lips coming down on mine. I gasped and clutched at his shoulders, his passionate kiss taking my breath away.

He moved away from my lips, and trailed light pecks down my neck. I moaned, my head falling on his shoulder. I moved my hands down so they were pressed against his stomach, felling his soft abs.

"George…" I moaned as his hands gipped my waist harder, pulling me even closer to him, if that was even possible.

After about five more minutes of intense snogging, I pulled away, letting my hand sit on his smooth neck. I rested my forehead against his, licking my lips, as I stared at his eyes. I smirked and gave him a small peck, before grabbing his hand and going up the stairs to his dorms.

**Remember to review or no updates. I hope you all enjoy.**


	17. You've changed in the last 12 years

**New chapter again. READ AND REVIEW!**

The line of Gryffindor students slowly began to dwindle as they were called into Professor McGonagall's office, looking slightly nervous.

"Coraline Black." Finally hearing my name, I walked into the office and took a set in front of her desk. She put her hands together and gave me a once over.

"Do you have any idea of what you would like to do for a career after you leave Hogwarts?" She asked. That one was easy. I've known since I first came to school.

"An Auror, professor," I responded. She waved her wand and a file with my name on it zoomed out of a filing cabinet and into her hand.

"Well you need top grades, which seems to be alright with you," She said, shuffling though my file. "You need a minimum of 5 NEWTS and nothing under "Exceeds Expectation's". Then you would be required to undergo a stringent series of character and aptitude tests at the Auror office. It's a difficult career path, Black, they only take the best. In fact no one has been taken on in the past year."

"Well, then hopefully I'll be the next," I said confidently, "I'm gonna be an Auror like my mum and no-one's gonna stop me. I'll work extra hard to get it."

She gave me one of her rare thin-lipped smiles and said, "Well that shouldn't be hard to get the grades, you have done exceptionally well on your OWLS." I beamed at the news, my hopes picking up.

"Now you will have to take Defence against the Dark Arts, Charms, Transfiguration and potions s your main subjects, but your Alchemy, Arithmancy and Divination skills are all very well which will, of course, heighten your chances of being an Auror."

"Now, take this pamphlet and read it over. You may go now and will you please send in Brian Crane." I stood up with the pamphlet clutched in my hand and left the room, telling Kassie to go in as I went.

I passed Fred and George as I walked and gave them a small wink. I left the hall behind and headed down to the one-eyed witches passage way, knowing that it would be a while before the twins were done considering they were the last ones on the list.

I taped the witch and said 'Dissendium' in a quiet voice, steeping into the tunnel and sliding down it, landing on my feet expertly. I transfigured my clothes so it was a black dress with long sleeves and a black corset, along with gloves with finger hoops. My shoes went black and got high heels. I morphed my hair so it went pin-straight, black, and with blue streaks, I grew taller, my skin incredibly pale

I walked for ages until I was barely half way when I got sick of it. I looked around out if habit and changed into a cheetah, the fastest animal I could think of.

I race down the passage way so fast the dark walls were a blur. That would have taken half an hour to do, but only took five minutes as I ended up at the stairs leading up to Honeydukes cellar. I took the steps 5 at a time with my massive paws and long body. In record time I was at the trapdoor, changing human, and opening it up.

I peeked through the small gap and pushed it all the way open, climbing out and letting it fall back down. I steeped over the edge of the steps and ruffled my skirt so it was back in place, before climbing up the stairs.

As I reached the last step, I quickly changed into a small mouse, followed with the usually popping nose that came after my change, and crawled under the door and into a deserted aisle of the store. I changed back.

I quickly went around finding all of my favourite chocolate's, including Acid Pops, Bertie Bott's Every Flavour Beans, Drooble's Best Blowing Gum, Fizzing Whizzbees, Glacial Snow Flakes, Honeydukes Best Chocolate, Nougat Chunks, Pepper Imps, Pumpkin fizz, Pumpkin Pasties, Shock-o-Choc, Skeletal Sweets, Spindle's Lick'O'Rish Spiders, Sugar Quills, Sugared Butterfly Wings, Toffees, Treacle fudge. Also an alarming amount of Chocolate.

I left Honeydukes with the one enchanted bag to hold my food then went over to Tomes and Scrolls. In there I bought a few books on Quidditch and books on Auror's. After leaving there, I made my way over to the quill shop and bought some quills, more ink and parchment.

Then I went to The Three Broomsticks. I got 6 bottles of Butterbeer to go, two for me and the rest for the twins. I also ran over to Quality Quidditch supplies and bought some new Chaser gloves.

I stayed there for a while before deciding to go back to the school. Just as I was about to turn a thought popped into my head. Wouldn't it be quicker to get back up the Hogwarts by using the Shrieking shack passage way? It was worth a shot.

I went past the gate boundary and walked down the old dirt pathway until I reached the door to the house. I found the trap door and was about to open it up when I froze, the hair's on the back of my neck prickling.

There were voices, coming from up the stairs. I slowly lent back up and walked quietly over to the staircase, making my way up them. I stopped just outside the door, hidden by the wall and heard the muffled voices that I couldn't quite make out.

Building up my Gryffindor bravery, I stood around the corner and drew my wand, my head cocked to the side like a dog in confusion. I let my bags drop to the floor as I drew my wand looking from the people I least but most expected to be there. Harry, Hermione, Ron, Remus and…Sirius, my dad.

"What the hell?" I said my eyes wide at the situation. They all stared at me.

"Uhh…who are you?" Remus and Hermione asked at the same time and I face-palmed. Of course they wouldn't recognise me, I still had my disguise on and it wasn't helping that my cloak hood was partially covering my face.

"Oops, one sec." I pulled the rest of my hood down and saw, much to my disgust and embarrassment, Ron and Harry blush at my obvious beauty. I screwed up my face in a concentrated look and morphed so I looked like my usual self.

I heard them all gasp and opened my eyes to see them all with slacked mouths, though I only had eyes for Sirius, my dad, the guy I hadn't actually seen, or met, in 12 years.

"Hey dad," I whispered, as he stared into my eyes. For the briefest of moments he looked happy, full of life even, and in that one moment I couldn't help myself. I flung myself across the room and into his arms, just as he moved towards me.

I sobbed into his ragged shirt as I felt small tear drops fall on my head. We probably would have stayed like that forever if Harry hadn't yelled in anger and betrayal.

"How could you, Cora?! He's a murderer! It's his fault that your mother is dead, that my parents are dead, and you can trust him just like that! I thought you were on our side!" I turned and glared at him, my wand raised to point at his chest, though I knew I could never do anything to hurt him.

"He. Is. Not. A. Murderer," I growled out through clenched teeth. I felt a hand on my shoulders and turned to see Sirius and Remus looking at me proudly, but Remus still pushed my wand down. I stood back and grasped onto Sirius' hand, keeping my other clenched painfully around my wand.

Once they noticed that we were paying attention to them, Hermione yelled in frustration," I DON'T BELIVE IT!"

Remus let go of my shoulder and stepped towards Hermione, who was staring at him, wild eyed and muttering, "You- you-ˮ

"Hermione-ˮ He tried to interject.

"-You and him and her!"

"Hermione, calm down-ˮ

"I didn't tell anyone!" she shrieked, "I've been covering up for you-"

"Hermione, listen to me, please!" he shouted," I can explain-ˮ A fresh wave of fury passed through me at Hermione's refusal to listen.

"I trusted you!" Harry yelled, his voice wavering, "and you Cora, but all this time, you've been his friend."

"You're wrong," said Remus, "we haven't been Sirius' friends for twelve years, but we are now…Let me explain…"

"NO!" Hermione screamed, "Harry, don't trust them, they've been helping Sirius into the castle, they want you dead too- Lupins' a werewolf!"

There was a ringing silence. Everyone's eyes were now on Remus, who looked remarkably calm, though rather pale. I walked forward, letting go of Sirius' hand, and stood next to Remus, clutching his hand instead.

"Not at all up to your usual standard, Hermione" I said. Remus squeezed my hand to let me know it was okay to confirm it. "Only one out of three, I'm afraid. We have not been helping Sirius into the castle and we certainly do not want Harry dead-"

"But I will not deny that I am a werewolf," Remus finished for me. Ron made a valiant attempt to get up, but fell back down, whimpering in pain. Remus made to move forward, looking concerned, but Ron gasped.

"Get away from me, werewolf!"

"Ronald, shut the hell up or I'll rip your mouth out!" I said, deathly calm. He thinks he can say that to Remus, a person he barely knows, without any proof if he is dangerous or not, she thought, "You will think it wise to stop being so prejudiced around me or you will lose your balls as well!"

He gulped and looked down. Remus had stopped dead at Ron's words. Then, with an obvious effort, he turned to Hermione and said, "How long have you known?"

"Ages," Hermione whispered, "since I did Professor Snape's essay…"

"He'll be delighted," said Remus coolly. "He assigned that essay hoping someone would realize what my symptoms meant...Did you check the lunar chart and realize I was always ill at the full moon? Or did you realize that the boggart changed into the moon when it saw me?"

"Both," Hermione said quietly. Remus forced a laugh.

"You the cleverest witch of your age I've ever meet, Hermione."

"I'm not," Hermione whispered, "If I'd been a bit cleverer I would have told everyone what you are!"

"But they already know," Remus said, "well at least the staff do."

"Dumbledore hired you when he knew you were a werewolf?" Ron gasped, "Is he mad?"

"Shut it Ronald. How many timed do I have to tell you?" I sighed in exasperation and sat down on the floor, crossing my legs.

"Some of the staff thought so," said Remus, "He had to work very hard to convince certain teachers that I'm trustworthy –ˮ

"AND HE WAS WRONG!" Harry yelled. "YOU'VE BEEN HELPING HIM ALL THIS TIME!" He was pointing at Sirius, who had crossed to the fore-poster bed and sunk onto it, his face in one shaking hand. I stood up and sat next to him just as Crookshanks leapt up and sat beside him on his other side, and stepped onto his lap, purring. Ron edged away from us, dragging his leg.

"We have not been helping Sirius," said Remus, "If you'll give me a chance, I'll explain. Look –ˮ

He separated Harry, Hermione, and Ron's wands and threw each back to its owners. They caught their own, stunned.

"There," said Remus, sticking his own wand back into his belt. "You're armed, we're not. Now will you listen?"

"If you haven't been helping him," Harry said, with a furious glance at Sirius, "how did you know he was here?"

"The map," said Remus. "The Marauder's Map. I was in my office examining it –ˮ

"You know how to work it?" Harry said suspiciously.

"Of course I know how to work it," said Remus, waving his hand impatiently. "I helped write it. I'm Moony-that was my friends' nickname for me at school.

"You wrote –ˮ

"The important thing is, I was watching it carefully this evening, because I had an idea that you, Ron and Hermione might try and sneak out to visit Hagrid before his Hippogriff was executed. And I was right, wasn't I?"

He had started to pace up and down, looking at them. Little patches of dust rose at his feet.

"You might have been wearing your father's old cloak, Harry –ˮ

"How d'you know about the cloak?"

"The number of times I saw James disappearing under it..." said Remus, waving an impatient hand again. "The point is, even if you're wearing an Invisibility Cloak, you still show up on the Marauder's Map. I watched you cross the grounds and enter Hagrid's hut. Twenty minutes later, you left Hagrid, and set off back toward the castle. But you were now accompanied by somebody else."

"What?" said Harry, "No, we weren't!"

"I couldn't believe my eyes," said Remus, still pacing, ignoring Harry's interruption. "I thought the map must be malfunctioning. How could he be with you?"

"No one was with us!" said Harry.

"And then I saw another dot, moving fast toward you, labelled Sirius Black...I saw him collide with you; I watched as he pulled two of you into the Whomping Willow –ˮ

"One of us!" Ron said angrily.

"No, Ron," said Remus. "Two of you."

He had stooped his pacing, his eyes moving over Ron. "Do you think I could have a look at the rat?" he said evenly.

"What?" said Ron, "What's Scabbers have to do with it?"

"Everything," said Remus. "Could I see him please?"

Ron hesitated, then put a hand inside his robes. Scabbers emerged, thrashing desperately; Ron had to seize his long bald tail to stop him escaping. Crookshanks stood up from Sirius' lap and made a soft hissing noise. I jumped to my feet, itching to point my wand at it but knowing Ron would stuff him away again.

Remus moved closer to Ron. He seemed to be holding his breath as he gazed intently at Scabbers or a fucking dick-head as I liked to think of him.

"What?" Ron said again, holding Scabbers close to him, looking scared. "What's my rat got to do with anything?"

"That's not a rat," croaked Sirius suddenly.

"What d'you mean – of course he's a rat –ˮ

"No, he's not," said Remus quietly. "He's a wizard."

"An Animagus," said Sirius, "by the name of Peter Pettigrew."

**Remember to review or no updates. I hope you all enjoy.**


	18. The unmentioned Marauder

**New chapter again. READ AND REVIEW!**

"You're all mental!"

"Ridiculous!"

"Peter Pettigrew's dead!" said Harry, "He killed him twelve years ago!"

Sirius' face twitched convulsively as Harry pointed at him, "I meant to, but little Peter got the better of me…Not this time, though!"

And Crookshanks and I were thrown to the floor at the speed in which Sirius lunged at Peter. Ron howled with pain as Sirius' weight fell on his broken leg.

"SIRIUS, NO!" Remus and I yelled, launching forwards and hauling Sirius off Ron and back onto the bed. "WAIT! You can't do it just like that- they need to understand- we've got to explain –ˮ

"We can explain afterwards!" snarled Sirius, trying to throw Remus and me off. One hand was still clawing the air as it tried to reach Scabbers, who was squealing like a piglet, scratching Ron's face and neck as he tried to escape.

"They've — got — a — right — to — know — everything!" Remus panted, still trying to restrain Sirius. "Ron's kept him as a pet! There are parts of it even I don't understand, and Harry — you owe Harry the truth, Sirius!"

Sirius stopped struggling, though his hollowed eyes were still fixed on Scabbers, who was clamped tightly under Ron's bitten, scratched, and bleeding hands.

"All right, then," Sirius said, without taking his eyes off the rat. "Tell them whatever you like. But make it quick, Remus. I want to commit the murder I was imprisoned for…"

I quickly stood up from where I was sitting on the ground, making the others look at me, and went just outside the door, where I grabbed my bags and brought them in, sitting then down on the bed. I heard Sirius sniff slightly at the small of warm Butterbeer and chocolate.

I pulled a bottle of Butterbeer out and held it out to Sirius, "Here, drink this," I muttered. If it was anyone else I don't think he would have taken it. He gulped it down so quickly it was like he hadn't had a decent drink in years, which was most likely the case.

I then took out a block of Honeydukes best chocolate and broke off a quarter of it, shoving it into his other hand. He ate that down like it was the best thing in the world as well.

"You're nutters, all of you," said Ron shakily, looking round at Harry and Hermione for support. "I've had enough of this. I'm off."

He tried to heave himself up on his good leg, but Remus raised his wand again, pointing it at Scabbers.

"You're going to hear me out, Ron," he said quietly. "Just keep a tight hold on Peter while you listen."

"HE'S NOT PETER, HE'S SCABBERS!" Ron yelled, trying to force the rat back into his front pocket, but Scabbers was fighting too hard; Ron swayed and overbalanced, and Harry caught him am pushed him back down to the bed. Then, ignoring Sirius, Harry turned to Remus.

"There were witnesses who saw Pettigrew die," he said. "A whole street full of them…"

"They didn't see what they thought they saw!" said Sirius savagely, still watching Scabbers struggling in Ron's hands.

"Everyone thought Sirius killed Peter," said Remus, nodding. "I believed it myself — until I saw the map tonight. Because the Marauder's map never lies… Peter's alive. Ron's holding him, Harry."

Then Hermione spoke, in a trembling, would-be calm sort of voice, as though trying to will Remus to talk sensibly.

"But Professor Lupin… Scabbers can't be Pettigrew… it just can't be true, you know it can't…"

"Why can't it be true?" Remus said calmly, as though they were in class, and Hermione had simply spotted a problem in an experiment with Grindylows.

"Because… because people would know if Peter Pettigrew had been an Animagus. We did Animagi in class with Professor McGonagall. And I looked them up when I did my homework — the Ministry of Magic keeps tabs on witches and wizards who can become animals; there's a register showing what animal they become, and their markings and things… and I went and looked Professor McGonagall up on the register, and there have been only seven Animagi this century, and Pettigrew's name wasn't on the list."

I had barely had time to marvel inwardly at the effort Hermione put into her homework, when Remus started to laugh.

"Right again, Hermione!" he said. "But the Ministry never knew that here used to be three unregistered Animagi running around Hogwarts."

"If you're going to tell them the story, get a move on, Remus," said Sirius, who was still watching Scabbers' every desperate move, the empty bottle clutched in his hands. "I've waited twelve years, I'm not going to wait much longer."

"All right… but you'll need to help me, Sirius," said Remus, "I only know how it began…" Remus broke off. There had been a loud creak behind him. The bedroom door had opened of its own accord. All five of them stared at it. Then Remus strode toward it and looked out into the landing.

"No one there…"

"This place is haunted!" said Ron.

"It's not," said Remus, still looking at the door in a puzzled way. "The Shrieking Shack was never haunted… The screams and howls the villagers used to hear were made by me."

He pushed his greying hair out of his eyes, thought for a moment then said, "That's where all of this starts — with my becoming a werewolf. None of this could have happened if I hadn't been bitten… and if I hadn't been so foolhardy…"

He looked sober and tired. Ron started to interrupt, but Hermione, said, "Shh!" She was watching Remus very intently.

"I was a very small boy when I received the bite. My parents tried everything, but in those days there was no cure. The potion that Professor Snape has been making for me is a very recent discovery. It makes me safe, you see. As long as I take it in the week, preceding the full moon, I keep my mind when I transform… I'm able to curl up in my office, a harmless wolf, and wait for the moon to wane again.

"Before the Wolfsbane Potion was discovered, however, I became a fully-fledged monster once a month. It seemed impossible that I would be able to come to Hogwarts. Other parents weren't likely to want their children exposed to me.

"But then Dumbledore became Headmaster, and he was sympathetic. He said that as long as we took certain precautions, there was no reason I shouldn't come to school…" Remus sighed, and looked directly at Harry. "I told you, months ago, that the Whomping Willow was planted the year I came to Hogwarts. The truth is that it was planted because I came to Hogwarts. This house" —Remus looked miserably around the room, — "the tunnel that leads to it — they were built for my use. Once a month, I was smuggled out of the castle, into this place, to transform. The tree was placed at the tunnel mouth to stop anyone coming across me while I was dangerous."

I could see by the look on Harry's face that he couldn't see where this story was going, but he was listening raptly all the same. The only sound apart from Remus' voice was Scabbers' frightened squeaking.

"My transformations in those days were — were terrible. It is very painful to turn into a werewolf. I was separated from humans to bite, so I bit and scratched myself instead. The villagers heard the noise and the screaming and thought they were hearing particularly violent spirits. Dumbledore encouraged the rumour… Even now, when the house has been silent for years, the villagers don't dare approach it…

"But apart from my transformations, I was happier than I had ever been in my life. For the first time ever, I had friends, four great friends. Sirius Black… Peter Pettigrew… Cora's mother, Spencer Rodriguez and, of course, your father, Harry — James Potter.

"Now, my four friends could hardly fail to notice that I disappeared once a month. I made up all sorts of stories. I told them my mother was ill, and that I had to go home to see her… I was terrified they would desert me the moment they found out what I was. But of course, they, like you, Hermione, worked out the truth…

"And they didn't desert me at all. Instead, they did something for me that would make my transformations not only bearable, but the best times of my life. They became Animagi, though Spencer didn't need to. She had a power that has passed on into her daughter."

"My dad too?" said Harry, astounded.

"Yes, indeed," said Remus. "It took them the best part of three years to work out how to do it. Your father, Sirius and Spencer were the cleverest students in the school, and lucky they were, because the Animagus transformation can go horribly wrong — one reason the Ministry keeps a close watch on those attempting to do it. Peter needed all the help he could get from James, Sirius and Spencer. Finally, in our fifth year, they managed it. They could each turn into a different animal at will."

"But how did that help you?" said Hermione, sounding puzzled.

"They couldn't keep me company as humans, so they kept me company as animals," said Remus.

"A werewolf is only a danger to people. They sneaked out of the castle every month under James's Invisibility Cloak. They transformed… Peter, as the smallest, could slip beneath the Willow's attacking branches and touch the knot that freezes it. They would then slip down the tunnel and join me. Under their influence, I became less dangerous. My body was still wolfish, but my mind seemed to become less so while I was with them."

"Hurry up, Remus," snarled Sirius, who was still watching Scabbers with a horrible sort of hunger on his face.

"I'm getting there, Sirius, I'm getting there… well, highly exciting possibilities were open to us now that we could all transform. Soon we were leaving the Shrieking Shack and roaming the school grounds and the village by night. Sirius, Spencer and James transformed into such large animals, they were able to keep a werewolf in check. I doubt whether any Hogwarts students ever found out more about the Hogwarts grounds and Hogsmeade than we did… And that's how we came to write the Marauder's Map, and sign it with our nicknames. Sirius is Padfoot. Peter is Wormtail. Spencer was Pride. James was Prongs."

"What sort of animal —?" Harry began, but Hermione cut him off.

"That was still really dangerous! Running around in the dark with a werewolf! What if you'd given the others the slip, and bitten somebody?"

"A thought that still haunts me," said Remus heavily. "And there were near misses, many of them. We laughed about them afterwards. We were young, thoughtless — carried away with our own cleverness.

"I sometimes felt guilty about betraying Dumbledore's trust, of course… he had admitted me to Hogwarts when no other headmaster would have done so, and he had no idea I was breaking the rules he had set down for my own and others' safety. He never knew I had led three fellow students into becoming Animagi illegally. But I always managed to forget my guilty feelings every time we sat down to plan our next month's adventure. And I haven't changed…"

Remus' face had hardened, and there was self-disgust in his voice. "All this year, I have been battling with myself, wondering whether I should tell Dumbledore that Sirius was an Animagus. But I didn't do it. Why? Because I was too cowardly. It would have meant admitting that I'd betrayed his trust while I was at school, admitting that I'd led others along with me… and Dumbledore's trust has meant everything to me."

"He let me into Hogwarts as a boy, and he gave me a job when I have been shunned all my adult life, unable to find paid work because of what I am. And so I convinced myself that Sirius was getting into the school using dark arts he learned from Voldemort, that being an Animagus had nothing to do with it… so, in a way, Snape's been right about me all along."

"Snape?" said Sirius harshly, taking his eyes off Scabbers; for the first time in minutes and looking up at Remus. "What's Snape got to do with it?"

"He's here, Sirius," I said heavily. "He's teaching here as well." Remus looked up at Harry, Ron, and Hermione.

"Professor Snape was at school with us. He fought very hard against my appointment to the Defence against the Dark Arts job. He has been telling Dumbledore all year that I am not to be trusted. He has his reasons… you see, Sirius here played a trick on him which nearly killed him, a trick which involved me —" Sirius made a derisive noise.

"It served him right," he sneered. "Sneaking around, trying to find out what we were up to… hoping he could get us expelled…"

"Severus was very interested in where I went every month." Remus told Harry, Ron, and Hermione. "We were in the same year, you know, and we — err — didn't like each other very much. He especially disliked James. Jealous, I think, of James's talent on the Quidditch field… anyway Snape had seen me crossing the grounds with Madam Pomfrey one evening as she led me toward the Whomping Willow to transform."

"Sirius thought it would be — err — amusing, to tell Snape all he had to do was prod the knot on the tree trunk with a long stick, and he'd be able to get in after me. Well, of course, Snape tried it — if he'd got as far as this house, he'd have met a fully grown werewolf — but your father, who'd heard what Sirius had done, went after Snape and pulled him back, at great risk to his life… Snape glimpsed me, though, at the end of the tunnel."

"He was forbidden by Dumbledore to tell anybody, but from that time on he knew what I was…"

"So that's why Snape doesn't like you," said Harry slowly, "because he thought you were in on the joke?"

"That's right," Sneered a cold voice from the wall behind Remus. Severus Snape was pulling off the Invisibility Cloak, his wand pointing directly at Remus.

**Remember to review or no updates. I hope you all enjoy.**


	19. The servant of Lord Voldemort

**New chapter again. READ AND REVIEW! I own nothing!**

Hermione screamed. Sirius leapt to his feet. I felt as though I'd received a huge electric shock.

"I found this at the base of the Whomping Willow," said Snape, throwing the cloak aside, careful to keep this wand pointing directly at Remus' chest. "Very useful, Potter, I thank you…"

Snape was slightly breathless, but his face was full of suppressed triumph. "You're wondering, perhaps, how I knew you were here?" he said, his eyes glittering. "I've just been to your office, Lupin. You forgot to take your potion tonight, so I took a goblet-full along. And very lucky I did… lucky for me, I mean. Lying on your desk was a certain map. One glance at it told me all I needed to know. I saw you running along this passageway and out of sight."

"Severus —" Remus began, but Snape overrode him.

"I've told the headmaster again and again that you're helping your old friend Black into the castle, Lupin, and here's the proof. Not even I dreamed you would have the nerve to use this old place as your hideout —"

"Severus, you're making a mistake," said Remus urgently. "You haven't heard everything — I can explain — Sirius is not here to kill Harry —"

"Two more for Azkaban tonight," said Snape, his eyes now gleaming fanatically. "I shall be interested to see how Dumbledore takes this… He was quite convinced you were harmless, you know, Lupin… a tame werewolf —"

"You fool," said Remus softly. "Is a schoolboy grudge worth putting an innocent man back inside Azkaban?"

BANG! Thin, snakelike cords burst from the end of Snape's wand and twisted themselves around Remus' mouth, wrists, and ankles; he overbalanced and fell to the floor, unable to move.

With a roar of rage, Sirius and I started toward Snape, but Snape pointed his wand straight between Sirius' eyes.

"Give me a reason," he whispered. "Give me a reason to do it, and I swear I will."

Sirius stopped dead. It would have been impossible to say which face showed more hatred. I laughed as I stood facing the two of them, then yanked Snape's wand out of his hand. I twirled it between my fingers as he turned his seething glare on me with absolute rage.

"Snivellus needs to be more aware of his surroundings," I said in a baby voice. Sirius started to laugh with me. That is, until Snape started to talk.

"GIVE THAT BACK YOU FILTHY SLIMY EXCUSS FOR A WITCH OR I WILL SEE TO IT THAT YOU JOIN YOUR ROTTEN FATHER IN AZKABAN!" He roared. Sirius stopped laughing.

"Don't talk to my daughter that way!" He growled as my hair went a fire-red.

Hermione took an uncertain step toward Snape and said, in a very breathless voice, "Professor Snape — it wouldn't hurt to hear what they've got to say, w-would it?"

"Miss Granger, you are already facing suspension from this school," Snape spat. "You, Potter, Black and Weasley are out-of-bounds, in the company of a convicted murderer and a werewolf. For once in your life, hold your tongue."

"But if — if there was a mistake —"

"KEEP QUIET, YOU STUPID GIRL!" Snape shouted, looking suddenly quite deranged, "DON'T TALK ABOUT WHAT YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND!" I flinched in disgust as spit flew out of his mouth as he yelled.

"Vengeance is very sweet," Snape breathed at Sirius. "How I hoped I would be the one to catch you…"

"Um…Snivellus…If you hadn't got the notion through your slimy skull, I have your wand and you're not getting it back until you decide to listen to us." I pointed out.

"The joke's on you again, Severus," Sirius snarled. "As long as this boy brings his rat up to the castle" — he jerked his head at Ron — "I'll come quietly…"

"Up to the castle?" said Snape silkily. "I don't think we need to go that far. All I have to do is call the Dementors once we get out of the Willow. They'll be very pleased to see you, Black… pleased enough to give you a little kiss, I daresay… I —"

What little colour there was in Sirius' face left it.

"You — you've got to hear me out," he croaked. "The rat — look at the rat —" But there was a mad glint in Snape's eyes that I had never seen before. He seemed beyond reason.

"Come on, all of you," he said. He clicked his fingers, and the ends of the cords that bound Remus flew to his hands. "I'll drag the werewolf. Perhaps the Dementors will have a kiss for him too —"

I turned to Sirius. "Is he deaf or something. He doesn't seem to realise that I have his wand." Sirius chuckled good-naturedly and clapped me on the back.

"It's because he's an idiot."

Before he knew what he was doing, Harry had crossed the room in three strides and blocked the door.

"Get out of the way, Potter, you're in enough trouble already," snarled Snape. "If I hadn't been here to save your skin —"

"Professor Lupin could have killed me about a hundred times this year," Harry said. "I've been alone with him loads of times, having defence lessons against the Dementors. If he was helping Black, why didn't he just finish me off then?"

"Don't ask me to fathom the way a werewolf's mind works," hissed Snape. "Get out of the way, Potter."

"YOU'RE PATHETIC!" Harry yelled. "JUST BECAUSE THEY MADE A FOOL OF YOU AT SCHOOL YOU WON'T EVEN LISTEN —"

"SILENCE! I WILL NOT BE SPOKEN TO LIKE THAT!" Snape shrieked, looking madder than ever. "Like father, like son, Potter! I have just saved your neck; you should be thanking me on bended knee! You would have been well served if he'd killed you! You'd have died like your father, too arrogant to believe you might be mistaken in Black — now get out of the way, or I will make you. GET OUT OF THE WAY, POTTER!"

I made up my mind in a split second. Before Snape could take even one step toward Harry, I had raised my own wand.

"Expelliarmus!" I yelled — except that mine wasn't the only voice that shouted. There was a blast that made the door rattle on its hinges; Snape was lifted off his feet and slammed into the wall, then slid down it to the floor, a trickle of blood oozing from under his hair. He had been knocked out.

I looked around. Harry, Ron and Hermione had tried to disarm Snape at exactly the same moment.

"You shouldn't have done that," said Sirius, looking at us. "You should have left him to me…"

Harry avoided Sirius' eyes.

"We attacked a teacher… We attacked a teacher…" Hermione whimpered, staring at the lifeless Snape with frightened eyes. "Oh, we're going to be in so much trouble —"

Remus was struggling against his bonds. Sirius and I bent down quickly and untied him. Remus straightened up, rubbing his arms where the ropes had cut into them.

"Thank you, Harry," he said.

"I'm still not saying I believe you," he told Remus.

"Then it's time we offered you some proof," said Remus. "You, boy — give me Peter, please. Now."

Ron clutched Scabbers closer to his chest, "Come off it," he said weakly. "Are you trying to say he broke out of Azkaban just to get his hands on Scabbers? I mean…" He looked up at Harry and Hermione for support, "Okay, say Pettigrew could turn into a rat — there are millions of rats — how's he supposed to know which one he is after if he was locked up in Azkaban?"

"You know, Sirius, that's a fair question," said Remus, turning to him and frowning slightly. "How did you find out where he was?"

Sirius put one of his claw-like hands inside his robes and took out a crumpled piece of paper, which he smoothed flat and held out to show the others. It was the photograph of Ron and his family that had appeared in the Daily Prophet the previous summer, and there, on Ron's shoulder, was Scabbers.

"How did you get this?" I asked Sirius, thunderstruck.

"Fudge," said Sirius. "When he came to inspect Azkaban last year, he gave me his paper. And there was Peter, on the front page on this boy's shoulder… I knew him at once… how many times had I seen him transform? And the caption said the boy would be going back to Hogwarts… to where Harry was…"

"My God," said Remus softly, staring from Scabbers to the picture in the paper and back again.

"His front paw…"

"What about it?" said Ron, defiantly.

"He's got a toe missing," said Sirius.

"Of course," Remus breathed. "So simple… so brilliant… he cut it off himself?"

"Just before he transformed," said Sirius. "When I cornered him, he yelled for the whole street to hear that I'd betrayed Lily and James. Then, before I could curse him, he blew apart the street with the wand behind his back, killed everyone within twenty feet of himself — and sped down into the sewer with the other rats…"

"Didn't you ever hear, Ron?" said Remus. "The biggest bit of Peter they found was his finger."

"Look, Scabbers probably had a fight with another rat or something! He's been in my family for ages, right —"

"Twelve years, in fact," said Remus. "Didn't you ever wonder why he was living so long?"

"We — we've been taking good care of him!" said Ron.

"Not looking too good at the moment, though, is he?" I said. "I'd guess he's been losing weight ever since he heard Sirius was on the loose again…"

"He's been scared of that mad cat!" said Ron, nodding toward Crookshanks, who was still purring on the bed.

"This cat isn't mad," said Sirius hoarsely. He reached out a bony hand and stroked Crookshanks' fluffy head. "He's the most intelligent of his kind I've ever met. He recognized Peter for what he was right away. And when he met me, he knew I was no dog. It was a while before he trusted me… Finally, I managed to communicate to him what I was after, and he's been helping me…"

"What do you mean?" breathed Hermione.

"He tried to bring Peter to me, but couldn't… so he stole the passwords into Gryffindor Tower for me… As I understand it, he took them from a boy's bedside table…"

"But Peter got wind of what was going on and ran for it." Croaked Sirius. "This cat — Crookshanks, did you call him? — told me Peter had left blood on the sheets… I supposed he bit himself… Well, faking his own death had worked once."

"And why did he fake his death?" Harry said furiously. "Because he knew you were about to kill him like you killed my parents!"

"No," said Remus, "Harry—"

"And now you've come to finish him off!"

"Yes, I have," said Sirius, with an evil look at Scabbers.

"Then I should've let Snape take you!" Harry shouted.

"Harry," said Remus hurriedly, "don't you see? All this time we've thought Sirius betrayed your parents, and Peter tracked him down — but it was the other way around, don't you see? Peter betrayed your mother and father — Sirius tracked Peter down —"

"THAT'S NOT TRUE!" Harry yelled. "HE WAS THEIR SECRET-KEEPER! HE SAID SO BEFORE YOU TURNED UP. HE SAID HE KILLED THEM!"

He was pointing at Sirius, who shook his head slowly; the sunken eyes were suddenly over bright.

"Harry… I as good as killed them," he croaked. "I persuaded Lily and James to change to Peter at the last moment, persuaded them to use him as Secret-Keeper instead of me… I'm to blame, I know it… The night they died, I'd arranged to check on Peter, make sure he was still safe, but when I arrived at his hiding place, he'd gone. Yet there was no sign of a struggle. It didn't feel right. I was scared. I set out for your parents' house straight away. And when I saw their house, destroyed, and their bodies… I realized what Peter must've done… what I'd done…"

His voice broke. He turned away.

"Enough of this," said Remus, and there was a steely note in his voice I had never heard before. "There's one certain way to prove what really happened. Ron, give me that rat."

"What are you going to do with him if I give him to you?" Ron asked Remus tensely.

"Force him to show himself," said Remus. "If he really is a rat, it won't hurt him."

Ron hesitated. Then at long last, he held out Scabbers and Remus took him. Scabbers began to squeak without stopping, twisting and turning, his tiny black eyes bulging in his head. "Ready, Sirius?" said Remus.

I handed Snape's wand to Sirius and pulled my own out of my robes. We approached Remus and the struggling rat, and his wet eyes suddenly seemed to be burning in his face.

"Together?" Sirius said quietly.

"I think so," said Remus, holding Scabbers tightly in one hand and his wand in the other. "On the count of three. One — two — THREE!"

A flash of blue-white light erupted from both wands; for a moment, Scabbers was frozen in mid-air, his small grey form twisting madly — Ron yelled — the rat fell and hit the floor. There was another blinding flash of light and then — it was like watching a speeded-up film of a growing tree. A head was shooting upward from the ground; limbs were sprouting; a moment later, a man was standing where Scabbers had been, cringing and wringing his hands. Crookshanks was spitting and snarling on the bed; the hair on his back was standing up.

He was a very short man, hardly taller than Harry and Hermione. His thin, colourless hair was unkempt and there was a large bald patch on top. He had the shrunken appearance of a plump man who has lost a lot of weight in a short time. His skin looked grubby, almost like Scabbers' fur, and something of the rat lingered around his pointed nose and his very small, watery eyes.

He looked around at them all, his breathing fast and shallow. Harry saw his eyes dart to the door and back again.

"Well, hello, Peter," said Remus pleasantly, as though rats frequently erupted into old school friends around him. "Long time, no see."

"S—Sirius… R—Remus…" Even Pettigrew's voice was squeaky. Again, his eyes darted toward the door. "My friends… my old friends…"

"Hey! You're the one that hit me with that spell! Sectumsempra or something!" I yelled in shock, an accusing finger pointing at him.

Sirius looked from me to Pettigrew. "He cast the Sectumsempra spell of you!?" He asked, outraged, "You ass-hole. You could have killed my daughter!" Pettigrew whimpered

Sirius' wand arm rose, but I seized him around the wrist, gave him a warning took, then turned again to Pettigrew. Remus spoke again, his voice light and casual.

"We've been having a little chat, Peter, about what happened the night Lily and James died. You might have missed the finer points while you were squeaking around down there on the bed —"

"Remus," gasped Pettigrew, and I could see beads of sweat breaking out over his pasty face, "you don't believe him, do you…? He tried to kill me, Remus…"

"So we've heard," said Remus, more coldly. "I'd like to clear up one or two little matters with you, Peter, if you'll be so —"

"He's come to try and kill me again!" Pettigrew squeaked suddenly, pointing at Sirius, and I saw that he used his middle finger, because his index was missing. "He killed Lily and James and now he's going to kill me too… You've got to help me, Remus…"

Sirius' face looked more skull-like than ever as he stared at Pettigrew with his fathomless eyes.

"No one's going to try and kill you until we've sorted a few things out," said Remus.

"Sorted things out?" squealed Pettigrew, looking wildly about him once more, eyes taking in the boarded windows and, again, the only door. "I knew he'd come after me! I knew he'd be back for me! I've been waiting for this for twelve years!"

"You knew Sirius was going to break out of Azkaban?" said Remus, his brow furrowed. "When nobody has ever done it before?"

"He's got dark powers the rest of us can only dream of!" Pettigrew shouted shrilly. "How else did he get out of there? I suppose He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named taught him a few tricks!"

Sirius started to laugh, a horrible, mirthless laugh that filled the whole room. "Voldemort, teach me tricks?" he said.

Pettigrew flinched as though Sirius had brandished a whip at him.

"What, scared to hear your old master's name?" said Sirius. "I don't blame you, Peter. His lot aren't very happy with you, are they?"

"Don't know what you mean, Sirius —" muttered Pettigrew, his breathing faster than ever. His whole face was shining with sweat now.

"You haven't been hiding from me for twelve years," said Sirius. "You've been hiding from Voldemort's old supporters. I heard things in Azkaban, Peter… They all think you're dead, or you'd have to answer to them… I've heard them screaming all sorts of things in their sleep. Sounds like they think the double-crosser double-crossed them. Voldemort went to the Potters' on your information… and Voldemort met his downfall there. And not all Voldemort's supporters ended up in Azkaban, did them? There are still plenty out here, biding their time, pretending they've seen the error of their ways. If they ever got wind that you were still alive, Peter —"

"Don't know… what you're talking about…" said Pettigrew again, more shrilly than ever. He wiped his face on his sleeve and looked up at Remus. "You don't believe this — this madness, Remus —"

"I must admit, Peter, I have difficulty in understanding why an innocent man would want to spend twelve years as a rat," said Remus evenly.

"Innocent, but scared!" squealed Pettigrew. "If Voldemort's supporters were after me, it was because I put one of their best men in Azkaban — the spy, Sirius Black!"

Sirius' face contorted.

"How dare you," he growled, sounding suddenly like the bear sized dog he had been. "I, a spy for Voldemort? When did I ever sneak around people who were stronger and more powerful than me? But you, Peter — I'll never understand why I didn't see you were the spy from the start. You always liked big friends who'd look after you, didn't you? It used to be us… me and Remus… and James… Spencer was even stronger than you"

Pettigrew wiped his face again; he was almost panting for breath.

"Me, a spy… must be out of your mind… never… don't know how you can say such a —"

"Lily and James only made you Secret-Keeper because I suggested it," Sirius hissed, so venomously that Pettigrew took a step backward. "I thought it was the perfect plan… a bluff… "

"Voldemort would be sure to come after me, would never dream they'd use a weak, talentless thing like you… It must have been the finest moment of your miserable life, telling Voldemort you could hand him the Potters."

Pettigrew was muttering distractedly; I caught words like "far-fetched" and "lunacy," but I couldn't help paying more attention to the ashen colour of Pettigrew's face and the way his eyes continued to dart toward the windows and door.

"Professor Lupin?" said Hermione timidly. "Can — can I say something?"

"Certainly, Hermione," said Remus courteously.

"Well — Scabbers — I mean, this — this man — he's been sleeping in Harry's dormitory for three years. If he's working for You-Know-Who, how come he never tried to hurt Harry before now?"

"There!" said Pettigrew shrilly, pointing at Ron with his maimed hand. "Thank you! You see, Remus? I have never hurt a hair of Harry's head! Why should I?"

"I'll tell you why," said Sirius. "Because you never did anything for anyone unless you could see what was in it for you. Voldemort has been in hiding for fifteen years, they say he's half dead. You weren't about to commit murder right under Albus Dumbledore's nose, for a wreck of a wizard who'd lost all of his power, were you? You'd want to be quite sure he was the biggest bully in the playground before you went back to him, wouldn't you? Why else did you find a wizard family to take you in? Keeping an ear out for news, weren't you, Peter? Just in case you're old protector regained strength, and it was safe to re-join him…"

Pettigrew opened his mouth and closed it several times. He seemed to have lost the ability to talk.

"Err — Mr. Black — Sirius?" said Hermione.

Sirius jumped at being addressed like this and stared at Hermione as though he had never seen anything quite like her.

"If you don't mind me asking, how — how did you get out of Azkaban, if you didn't use Dark Magic?"

"Thank you!" gasped Pettigrew, nodding frantically at her. "Exactly! Precisely what I —" But Remus silenced him with a look. Sirius was frowning slightly at Hermione, but not as though he were annoyed with her. He seemed to be pondering his answer.

"I don't know how I did it," he said slowly. "I think the only reason I never lost my mind is that I knew I was innocent. That wasn't a happy thought, so the Dementors couldn't suck it out of me… but it kept me sane and knowing who I am… helped me keep my powers… so when it all became… too much… I could transform in my cell… become a dog. Dementors can't see, you know…" He swallowed. "They feel their way toward people by feeding off their emotions… They could tell that my feelings were less — less human, less complex when I was a dog… but they thought, of course, that I was losing my mind like everyone else in there, so it didn't trouble them. But I was weak, very weak, and I had no hope of driving them away from me without a wand…

"But then I saw Peter in that picture… I realized he was at Hogwarts with Harry… perfectly positioned to act, if one hint reached his ears that the Dark Side was gathering strength again…" Pettigrew was shaking his head, mouthing noiselessly, but staring all the while at Sirius as though hypnotized.

"… Ready to strike at the moment he could be sure of allies… and to deliver the last Potter to them. If he gave them Harry, who'd dare say he'd betrayed Lord Voldemort? He'd be welcomed back with honours…

"So you see, I had to do something. I was the only one who knew Peter was still alive…"

"It was as if someone had lit a fire in my head, and the Dementors couldn't destroy it… It wasn't a happy feeling… it was an obsession… but it gave me strength, it cleared my mind. So, one night when they opened my door to bring food, I slipped past them as a dog… It's so much harder for them to sense animal emotions that they were confused… I was thin, very thin… thin enough to slip through the bars… I swam as a dog back to the mainland… I journeyed north and slipped into the Hogwarts grounds as a dog. I've been living in the forest ever since, except when I came to watch the Quidditch, of course. You fly as well as your father did, Harry… and Cora, your mother. That throw you did was amazing"

He looked at Harry, who did not look away.

"Believe me," croaked Sirius. "Believe me, Harry. I never betrayed James and Lily. I would have died before I betrayed them." And at long last, Harry believed him. Throat too tight to speak, he nodded.

"No!"

Pettigrew had fallen to his knees as though Harry's nod had been his own death sentence. He shuffled forward on his knees, grovelling, his hands clasped in front of him as though praying.

"Sirius — it's me… it's Peter… your friend… you wouldn't —"

Sirius kicked out and Pettigrew recoiled.

"There's enough filth on my robes without you touching them," said Sirius.

"Remus!" Pettigrew squeaked, turning to Remus instead, writhing imploringly in front of him.

"You don't believe this — wouldn't Sirius have told you they'd changed the plan?"

"Not if he thought I was the spy, Peter," said Remus. "I assume that's why you didn't tell me, Sirius?" he said casually over Pettigrew's head.

"Forgive me, Remus," said Sirius.

"Not at all, Padfoot, old friend," said Remus, who was now rolling up his sleeves. "And will you, in turn, forgive me for believing you were the spy?"

"Of course," said Sirius, and the ghost of a grin flitted across his gaunt face. He, too, began rolling up his sleeves. "Shall we kill him together?"

"Yes, I think so," said Remus grimly.

"You wouldn't… you won't…" gasped Pettigrew. And he scrambled around to Ron. "Ron… haven't I been a good friend… a good pet? You won't let them kill me, Ron, will you… you're on my side, aren't you?"

But Ron was staring at Pettigrew with the utmost revulsion.

"I let you sleep in my bed!" he said.

"Kind boy… kind master…" Pettigrew crawled toward Ron "You won't let them do it… I was your rat… I was a good pet…"

"If you made a better rat than a human, it's not much to boast about, Peter," said Remus harshly.

Ron, going still paler with pain, wrenched his broken leg out of Pettigrew's reach. Pettigrew turned on his knees, staggered forward, and seized the hem of Hermione's robes.

"Sweet girl… clever girl… you — you won't let them… Help me…" Hermione pulled her robes out of Pettigrew's clutching hands and backed away against the wall, looking horrified.

And next he came at me, his face twisted in hope. "Please…Your mother…one of my friends…she wouldn't want this... You-you can't –ˮ she stepped back and growled at him, letting her finger nails grow long as she put her hand up to slap him away from her.

Pettigrew knelt, trembling uncontrollably, and turned his head slowly toward Harry.

"Harry… Harry… you look just like your father… just like him…"

"HOW DARE YOU SPEAK TO HARRY?" roared Sirius. "HOW DARE YOU FACE HIM? HOW DARE YOU TALK ABOUT JAMES IN FRONT OF HIM?"

"Harry," whispered Pettigrew, shuffling toward him, hands outstretched. "Harry, James wouldn't have wanted me killed… James would have understood, Harry… he would have shown me mercy…"

Both Sirius and Remus strode forward, seized Pettigrew's shoulders, and threw him backward onto the floor. He sat there, twitching with terror, staring up at them.

"You sold Lily and James to Voldemort," said Sirius, who was shaking too. "Do you deny it?"

Pettigrew burst into tears. It was horrible to watch, like an oversized, balding baby, cowering on the floor.

"Sirius, Sirius, what could I have done? The Dark Lord… you have no idea… he has weapons you can't imagine… I was scared, Sirius, I was never brave like you and Remus and James and Spencer. I never meant it to happen… He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named forced me —"

"DON'T LIE!" bellowed Sirius. "YOU'D BEEN PASSING INFORMATION TO HIM FOR A YEAR BEFORE LILY AND JAMES DIED! YOU WERE HIS SPY!"

"He — he was taking over everywhere!" gasped Pettigrew. "Wh-what was there to be gained by refusing him?"

"What was there to be gained by fighting the most evil wizard who has ever existed?" said Sirius, with a terrible fury in his face. "Only innocent lives, Peter!"

"You don't understand!" whined Pettigrew. "He would have killed me, Sirius!"

"THEN YOU SHOULD HAVE DIED!" roared Sirius. "DIED RATHER THAN BETRAY YOUR FRIENDS, AS WE WOULD HAVE DONE FOR YOU!"

Sirius and Remus stood shoulder to shoulder, wands raised.

"You should have realized," said Remus quietly, "if Voldemort didn't kill you, we would. Goodbye, Peter."

Hermione covered her face with her hands and turned to the wall.

"NO!" Harry yelled. He ran forward, placing himself in front Pettigrew, facing the wands. "You can't kill him," he said breathlessly. "You can't."

Sirius and Remus both looked staggered, which I imagine was the expression on my face.

"Harry, this piece of vermin is the reason you have no parents," Sirius snarled. "This cringing bit of filth would have seen you die too, without turning a hair. You heard him. His own stinking skin meant more to him than your whole family."

"I know," Harry panted. "We'll take him up to the castle. We'll hand him over to the Dementors… He can go to Azkaban… but don't kill him."

"Harry!" gasped Pettigrew, and he flung his arms around Harry's knees. "You — thank you — it's more than I deserve — thank you —"

"Get off me," Harry spat, throwing Pettigrew's hands off him in disgust. "I'm not doing this for you. I'm doing it because — I don't reckon my dad would've wanted them to become killers — just for you."

No one moved or made a sound except Pettigrew, whose breath was coming in wheezes as he clutched his chest. Sirius and Remus were looking at each other. Then, with one movement, they lowered their wands.

"You're the only person who has the right to decide, Harry," I said. "But think… think what he did…"

"He can go to Azkaban," Harry repeated. "If anyone deserves that place, he does…" Pettigrew was still wheezing behind him.

"Very well," said Remus. "Stand aside, Harry." Harry hesitated.

"I'm going to tie him up," said Remus. "That's all, I swear."

Harry stepped out of the way. Thin cords shot from Remus' wand this time, and next moment, Pettigrew was wriggling on the floor, bound and gagged.

"But if you transform, Peter," growled Sirius, his own wand pointing at Pettigrew too, "we will kill you. You agree, Harry?" Harry looked down at the pitiful figure on the floor and nodded so that Pettigrew could see him.

"Right," said Remus, suddenly businesslike. "Ron, I can't mend bones nearly as well as Madam Pomfrey, so I think it's best if we just strap your leg up until we can get you to the hospital wing."

He hurried over to Ron, bent down, tapped Ron's leg with his wand, and muttered, "Ferula."

Bandages spun up Ron's leg, strapping it tightly to a splint. Remus helped him to his feet; Ron put his weight gingerly on the leg and didn't wince.

"That's better," he said. "Thanks."

"What about Professor Snape?" said Hermione in a small voice, looking down at Snape's prone figure?

"There's nothing seriously wrong with him," said Remus, bending over Snape and checking his pulse. "You were just a little — overenthusiastic. Still out cold. Er — perhaps it will be best if we don't revive him until we're safety back in the castle. We can take him like this…"

He muttered, "Mobilicorpus." As though invisible strings were tied to Snape's wrists, neck, and knees, he was pulled into a standing position, head still lolling unpleasantly, like a grotesque puppet. He hung a few inches above the ground, his limp feet dangling. Remus picked up the Invisibility Cloak and tucked it safely into his pocket.

"And two of us should be chained to this," said Sirius, nudging Pettigrew with his toe. "Just to make sure."

"I'll do it," said Remus.

"And me," said Ron savagely, limping forward.

Sirius conjured heavy manacles from thin air; soon Pettigrew was upright again, left arm chained to Remus' right, right arm to Ron's left. Ron's face was set. He seemed to have taken Scabbers' true identity as a personal insult. Crookshanks leapt lightly off the bed and led the way out of the room, his bottlebrush tail held jauntily high.

**Remember to review or no updates. I hope you all enjoy.**


	20. I'm your father

**New chapter again. READ AND REVIEW! I own nothing!**

New chapter, yaaaaaaaaaaaay READ & REVIEW! P.S. this chapter is different cause it is a FANFICTION!

I had never been part of a stranger group. Crookshanks led the way down the stairs; Remus, Pettigrew, and Ron went next, looking like entrants in a six-legged race. Next came Professor Snape, drifting creepily along, his toes hitting each stair as they descended, held up by his own wand, which was being pointed at him by Sirius, who stood beside me. Harry and Hermione brought up the rear.

Getting back into the tunnel was difficult. Remus, Pettigrew, and Ron had to turn sideways to manage it; Lupin still had Pettigrew covered with his wand. I could see them edging awkwardly along the tunnel in single file. Crookshanks was still in the lead. Harry went right after Sirius, who was still making Snape drift along ahead of them; he kept bumping his lolling head on the low ceiling. I had the impression Sirius was making no effort to prevent this.

"You know what this means?" Sirius said abruptly to Harry as they made their slow progress along the tunnel. "Turning Pettigrew in?"

"You're free," said Harry.

"Yes…" said Sirius. "But I'm also — I don't know if anyone ever told you — I'm your Godfather."

"Yeah, I knew that," said Harry. My stomach clenched at the direction the conversation was going. Of course it would be great for Harry to live with Sirius, but did he not want to live with his own daughter?

"Well… your parents appointed me your guardian," said Sirius stiffly. "If anything happened to them…"

Harry waited. Did Sirius mean what he thought he meant?

"I'll understand, of course, if you want to stay with your aunt and uncle," said Sirius. "But… well… think about it. Once my name's cleared… if you wanted a… a different home…" Some sort of explosion took place in the pit of Harry's stomach.

"What — live with you?" he said, accidentally cracking his head on a bit of rock protruding from the ceiling. "Leave the Dursleys?"

"Of course, I thought you wouldn't want to," said Sirius quickly. "I understand, I just thought I'd—"

"Are you insane?" said Harry, his voice easily as croaky as Sirius'. "Of course I want to leave the Dursleys! Have you got a house? When can I move in?"

Sirius turned right around to look at him; Snape's head was scraping the ceiling but he didn't seem to care.

"You want to?" he said. "You mean it?"

"Yeah, I mean it!" said Harry.

Sirius' gaunt face broke into the first true smile Harry had seen upon it. The difference it made was startling, as though a person ten years younger were shining through the starved mask; for a moment, he was recognizable as the man who had laughed at Harry's parents' wedding.

Sirius turned to me, "Do you want to as well? I mean…you are my daughter…but…you'll probably want to stay with Amber…I shouldn't of said anything-"

"You are insane? Of course I want to live with my dad! And then I get to live with Harry! This is so awesome!" I bounced on the balls of my feet, my hair going bright green.

"Thanks, Sirius," I said.

He frowned, "Sirius…" He mumbled, "Why aren't you calling me dad?"

"I don't know. I thought…for a moment…that you may not think of me that way."

They did not speak again until they had reached the end of the tunnel. Crookshanks darted up first; he had evidently pressed his paw to the knot on the trunk, because Remus, Pettigrew, and Ron clambered upward without any sound of savaging branches.

Sirius saw Snape up through the hole, then stood back for Harry and Hermione to pass. At last, all of them were out.

The grounds were very dark now; the only light came from the distant windows of the castle.

Without a word, they set off. Pettigrew was still wheezing and occasionally whimpering. Harry's mind was buzzing. He was going to leave the Dursleys. He was going to live with Sirius Black, his parents' best friend… He felt dazed… What would happen when he told the Dursleys he was going to live with the convict they'd seen on television…!

"One wrong move, Peter," said Remus threateningly ahead. His wand was still pointed sideways at Pettigrew's chest.

Silently they tramped through the grounds, the castle lights growing slowly larger. Snape was still drifting weirdly ahead of Black, his chin bumping on his chest. And then –

A cloud shifted. There were suddenly dim shadows on the ground. Their party was bathed in moonlight.

Snape collided with Remus, Pettigrew, and Ron, who had stopped abruptly. Sirius froze. He flung out one arm to make Harry and Hermione stop.

I could see Remus' silhouette. He had gone rigid. Then his limbs began to shake.

"Oh, my —" Hermione gasped. "He didn't take his potion tonight! He's not safe!"

"Run," Sirius whispered. "Run. Now."

But we couldn't run. Ron was chained to Pettigrew and Remus. Harry leapt forward but Sirius caught him around the chest and threw him back.

"Leave it to me — RUN!"

There was a terrible snarling noise. Remus' head was lengthening. So was his body. His shoulders were hunching. Hair was sprouting visibly on his face and hands, which were curling into clawed paws. Crookshanks' hair was on end again; he was backing away —

As the werewolf reared, snapping its long jaws, Sirius disappeared from my side. He had transformed. The enormous, bearlike dog bounded forward. As the werewolf wrenched itself free of the manacle binding it, the dog seized it about the neck and pulled it backward, away from Ron and Pettigrew. They were locked, jaw to jaw, claws ripping at each other.

Then I caught my head. I raced towards the battling animals, and lunged, turning into the first animal I thought of. A massive Lioness. I yanked the werewolf away from Sirius and, struggling, managed to hold him to the ground. The Werewolf turned his massive head and bit her on the paw. She yelped and pulled back, still struggling with him and trying to pin him back to the ground.

The others stood, transfixed by the sight, too intent upon the battle to notice anything else. It was Hermione's scream that alerted Harry—

Pettigrew had dived for Remus' dropped wand. Ron, unsteady on his bandaged leg, fell. There was a bang, a burst of light — and Ron lay motionless on the ground. Another bang — Crookshanks flew into the air and back to the earth in a heap.

"Expelliarmus." Harry yelled, pointing his own wand at Pettigrew; Remus' wand flew high into the air and out of sight. "Stay where you are!" Harry shouted, running forward.

Too late. Pettigrew had transformed. I saw out of the corner of my eye his bald tail whip through the manacle on Ron's outstretched arm and heard a scurrying through the grass.

There was a howl as I dived away from Remus and after Pettigrew, clamping my massive paw over his scraggily body. I wasn't letting him get away that easily.

"Sirius, he's gone, Pettigrew transformed!" Harry yelled. I shook my lioness head and turned back to Harry, Pettigrew clamped in my paw. He was squealing and scratching try one to get out of my grip, but I was way too strong.

I through him down onto the ground by my other paw, just as Hermione aimed her wand at him and said in a clear voice, 'Petrificus Totalus.' Pettigrew froze, stiff as a board, and Hermione scurried forwards to pick him up, stuffing him in her robes pocket and sealing it shut with a tiny gap.

I turned human within a blink of an eye, "Well that was close," she said.

Sirius was bleeding; there were gashes across his muzzle and back, but at my words he scrambled up again, and in an instant, the sound of his paws faded to silence as he pounded away across the grounds.

Harry, Hermione and I dashed over to Ron.

"What did he do to him?" Hermione whispered. Ron's eyes were only half-closed, his mouth hung open; he was definitely alive, they could hear him breathing, but he didn't seem to recognize them.

"I don't know…"

I looked desperately around. Sirius and Remus both gone… they had no one but Snape for company, still hanging, unconscious, in mid-air.

"We'd better get them up to the castle and tell someone," said Harry, pushing his hair out of his eyes, trying to think straight. "Come —"

But then, from beyond the range of their vision, they heard a yelping, a whining: a dog in pain… "Sirius," Harry muttered, staring into the darkness.

I had a moment's indecision, but there was nothing they could do for Ron at the moment, and by the sound of it, Sirius was in trouble —

I set off at a run, Harry and Hermione right behind me. The yelping seemed to be coming from the ground near the edge of the lake. We pelted toward it, and I, running flat out, felt the cold without realizing what it must mean -

The yelping stopped abruptly. As we reached the lakeshore, I saw why — Sirius had turned back into a man. He was crouched on all fours, his hands over his head.

"Nooo," he moaned. "Nooo… please…"

And then I saw them. Dementors, at least a hundred of them, gliding in a black mass around the lake towards us. I spun around, the familiar, icy cold penetrating my insides, fog starting to obscure my vision; more were appearing out of the darkness on every side; they were encircling us…

"Hermione, think of something happy!" I yelled, raising my wand, blinking furiously to try and clear my vision, shaking my head to rid it of the faint screaming that had started inside it —I'm going to live with my father.

I forced myself to think of Sirius, and only Sirius, and began to chant: "Expecto patronum! Expecto patronum!" Harry did the same.

Sirius gave a shudder, rolled over, and lay motionless on the ground, pale as death. He'll be all right. I'm going to go and live with him.

"Expecto patronum! Hermione, help me! Expecto patronum!"

"Expecto —" Hermione whispered, "Expecto — Expecto —"

But she couldn't do it. The Dementors were closing in, barely ten feet from them. They formed a solid wall around Harry, Hermione and I, and were getting closer…

"EXPECTO PATRONUM!" Harry and I yelled, trying to blot the screaming from our ears, both from different women.

"EXPECTO PATRONUM!"

A thin wisp of silver escaped my wand and hovered like mist before me. At the same moment, I heard Hermione collapse next to Harry. He and I were alone… completely alone…

"Expecto — Expecto patronum —" I felt my knees hit the cold grass. Fog was clouding my eyes. With a huge effort, I fought to remember — Sirius was innocent — innocent — we'll be okay — I'm going to live with him — my father was innocent—

"Expecto patronum!" I gasped.

By the feeble light of my formless Patronus, I saw a Dementor halt, very close to us. It couldn't walk through the cloud of silver mist Harry and I had conjured. A dead, slimy hand slid out from under the cloak. It made a gesture as though to sweep the Patronus aside.

"No — no —" Harry gasped. "He's innocent… Expecto, Expecto patronum —"

I could feet them watching us, hear their rattling breath like an evil wind around me. The nearest Dementor seemed to be considering us. Then it raised both its rotting hands — and lowered its hood.

Where there should have been eyes, there was only thin, grey scabbed skin, stretched blankly over empty sockets. But there was a mouth… a gaping, shapeless hole, sucking the air with the sound of a death rattle.

A paralysing terror filled me so that I couldn't move or speak. Our Patronus' flickered and died.

White fog was blinding me. I had to fight… Expecto patronum… I couldn't see… and in the distance, I heard the screaming… Expecto patronum… I groped in the mist for Sirius and Harry, and found their arms… they weren't going to take them…

But a pair of strong, clammy hands suddenly attached themselves around our necks. They were forcing our faces upward… I could feel its breath… It was going to get rid of us first…

I could feel its putrid breath… my mother was screaming in my ears… She was going to be the last thing I ever heard —

And then, through the fog that was drowning me, I thought I saw two silvery lights growing brighter and brighter… I felt myself fall forward onto the grass… Facedown, too weak to move, sick and shaking, I opened his eyes. The Dementor must have released us. The blinding light was illuminating the grass around me… The screaming had stopped; the cold was ebbing away…

Something was driving the Dementors back… It was circling around me and Harry and Sirius and Hermione… They were leaving…

The air was warm again…

With every ounce of strength we could muster, Harry and I raised our head a few inches and saw two animals amid the light, galloping away across the lake… Eyes blurred with sweat, I tried to make out what they were… they were as bright as a unicorn… Fighting to stay conscious, I watched it canter to a halt as it reached the opposite shore. For a moment, I saw, by its brightness, somebody welcoming them back… raising their hand to pat it… someone who looked strangely familiar… but it couldn't be…

I didn't understand. I couldn't think anymore. I felt the last of my strength leave me, and my head hit the ground as I fainted.

**Remember to review or no updates. I hope you all enjoy.**


	21. Hermione's secret

**New chapter again. READ AND REVIEW! I own nothing!**

"Shocking business… shocking… miracle none of them died… never heard the like… by thunder, it was lucky you were there, Snape…"

"Thank you, Minister."

"Order of Merlin, Second Class, I'd say. First Class, if I can wangle it!"

"Thank you very much indeed, Minister."

"Nasty cut you've got there… Black's work, I suppose?"

"As a matter of fact, it was Potter, the Black girl, Weasley, and Granger, Minister…"

"No!"

"Black had bewitched them, I saw it immediately. A Confundus Charm, to judge by their behaviour. They seemed to think there was a possibility he was innocent. They weren't responsible for their actions. On the other hand, their interference might have permitted Black to escape… They obviously thought they were going to catch Black single-handed. They've got away with a great deal before now… I'm afraid it's given them a rather high opinion of themselves… and of course Potter has always been allowed an extraordinary amount of license by the headmaster —"

"Ah, well, Snape… Harry Potter, you know… we've all got a bit of a blind spot where he's concerned."

"And yet — is it good for him to be given so much special treatment? Personally, I try and treat him like any other student. And any other student would be suspended — at the very least — for leading his friends into such danger. Consider, Minister — against all school rules — after all the precautions put in place for his protection — out-of-bounds, at night, consorting with a werewolf and a murderer — and I have reason to believe he has been visiting Hogsmeade illegally too —"

"Well, well… we shall see, Snape, we shall see… The boy has undoubtedly been foolish…"

I lay listening with my eyes tight shut. I felt very groggy. The words I was hearing seemed to be traveling very slowly from my ears to my brain, so that it was difficult to understand… my limbs felt like lead; my eyelids too heavy to lift… I wanted to lie here, on this comfortable bed, forever…

"What amazes me most is the behaviour of the Dementors… you've really no idea what made them retreat, Snape?"

"No, Minister… by the time I had come 'round they were heading back to their positions at the entrances…"

"Extraordinary. And yet Black, and Harry, and the two girls —"

"All unconscious by the time I reached them. I bound and gagged Black, naturally, conjured stretchers, and brought them all straight back to the castle."

There was a pause. My brain seemed to be moving a little faster, and as it did, a gnawing sensation grew in the pit of my stomach…

I opened my eyes. I was lying in the dark hospital wing. At the very end of the ward, I could make out Madam Pomfrey with her back to me, bending over a bed. I squinted. Ron's red hair was visible beneath Madam Pomfrey's arm.

I moved my head over on the pillow. In the bed to my left lay Hermione. Moonlight was falling across her bed. Her eyes were open too. She looked petrified, and when she saw that I was awake, pressed a finger to her lips then pointed to the hospital wing door. It was ajar, and the voices of Cornelius Fudge and Snape were coming through it from the corridor outside. Madam Pomfrey now came walking briskly up the dark ward to Harry's bed. I saw him turn to look at her. She was carrying the largest block of chocolate he had ever seen in his life. It looked like a small boulder.

"Ah, you're awake!" she said briskly. She placed the chocolate on Harry's bedside table and began breaking it apart with a small hammer.

"How's Ron?" said Harry, Hermione and I together.

"He'll live," said Madam Pomfrey grimly. "As for you three, you'll be staying here until I'm satisfied you're — Potter, what do you think you're doing?"

Harry was sitting up, putting his glasses back on, and picking up his wand.

"I need to see the headmaster," he said.

"Potter," said Madam Pomfrey soothingly, "it's all right. They've got Black. He's locked away upstairs. The Dementors will be performing the kiss any moment now —"

"WHAT?"

Harry and I jumped up out of bed; Hermione had done the same. But his shout had been heard in the corridor outside; next second, Cornelius Fudge and Snape had entered the ward. "Harry, Harry, what's this?" said Fudge, looking agitated. "You should be in bed — has he had any chocolate?" he asked Madam Pomfrey anxiously.

"Minister, listen!" Harry said. "Sirius Black's innocent! Peter Pettigrew faked his own death! We saw him tonight! You can't let the Dementors do that thing to Sirius, he's —"

But Fudge was shaking his head with a small smile on his face.

"Harry, Harry, you're very confused, you've been through a dreadful ordeal, lie back down, now, we've got everything under control…"

"YOU HAVEN'T!" Harry yelled. "YOU'VE GOT THE WRONG MAN!"

"Minister, listen, please," Hermione said; she had hurried to Harry's and my side and was gazing imploringly into Fudge's face. "I saw him too. It was Ron's rat, he's an Animagus, Pettigrew, I mean, and —"

"You see, Minister?" said Snape. "Confunded, all of them… Black's done a very good job on them…"

"WE'RE NOT CONFUNDED!" I roared.

"Minister! Professor!" said Madam Pomfrey angrily. "I must insist that you leave. Potter and Black are my patients, and they should not be distressed!"

"We're not distressed; I'm trying to tell them what happened!" Harry said furiously. "If they'd just listen —"

But Madam Pomfrey suddenly stuffed a large chunk of chocolate into Harry's mouth; he choked, and she seized the opportunity to force him back onto the bed.

"Now, please, Minister, these children need care. Please leave."

The door opened again. It was Dumbledore. Harry swallowed his mouthful of chocolate with great difficulty and got up again.

"Professor Dumbledore, Sirius Black —"

"For heaven's sake!" said Madam Pomfrey hysterically. "Is this a hospital wing or not? Headmaster, I must insist —"

"My apologies, Poppy, but I need a word with Mr. Potter, Miss Black and Miss Granger," said Dumbledore calmly. "I have just been talking to Sirius Black —"

"I suppose he's told you the same fairy tale he's planted in Potter's mind?" spat Snape. "Something about a rat and Pettigrew being alive—"

"That, indeed, is Black's story," said Dumbledore, surveying Snape closely through his half-moon spectacles.

"And does my evidence count for nothing?" snarled Snape. "Peter Pettigrew was not in the Shrieking Shack, nor did I see any sign of him on the grounds."

"That was because you were knocked out, Professor!" said Hermione earnestly. "You didn't arrive in time to hear."

"Miss Granger, HOLD YOUR TONGUE!"

"Now, Snape," said Fudge, startled, "the young lady is disturbed in her mind, we must make allowances —"

"I would like to speak to Harry, Coraline and Hermione alone," said Dumbledore abruptly. "Cornelius, Severus, Poppy — please leave us."

"Headmaster!" sputtered Madam Pomfrey. "They need treatment, they need rest —"

"This cannot wait," said Dumbledore. "I must insist."

Madam Pomfrey pursed her lips and strode away into her office at the end of the ward, slamming the door behind her. Fudge consulted the large gold pocket watch dangling from his waistcoat.

"The Dementors should have arrived by now," he said. "I'll go and meet them. Dumbledore, I'll see you upstairs."

He crossed to the door and held it open for Snape, but Snape hadn't moved.

"You surely don't believe a word of Black's story?" Snape whispered, his eyes fixed on Dumbledore's face.

"I wish to speak to Harry, Coraline and Hermione alone," Dumbledore repeated.

Snape took a step toward Dumbledore.

"Sirius Black showed he was capable of murder at the age of sixteen," he breathed. "You haven't forgotten that, Headmaster? You haven't forgotten that he once tried to kill me?"

"My memory is as good as it ever was, Severus," said Dumbledore quietly.

Snape turned on his heel and marched through the door Fudge was still holding. It closed behind them, and Dumbledore turned to Harry, Hermione and I. We both burst into speech at the same time.

"Professor, Black's telling the truth — we saw Pettigrew — he escaped when Professor Lupin turned into a werewolf —"

"¬¬—put him in Hermione's robes—"

"— He's a rat —"

"— Pettigrew's front paw, I mean, finger, he cut it off —"

"— Pettigrew attacked Ron, it wasn't Sirius —"

But Dumbledore held up his hand to stem the flood of explanations.

"It is your turn to listen, and I beg you will not interrupt me, because there is very little time," he said quietly. "There is not a shred of proof to support Black's story, except your word — and the word of two thirteen-year-old wizard and witch and a 16 year old witch will not convince anybody. A Street full of eyewitnesses swore they saw Sirius murder Pettigrew. I myself gave evidence to the Ministry that Sirius had been the Potters' Secret-Keeper."

"Professor Lupin can tell you —" Harry said, unable to stop himself.

"Professor Lupin is currently deep in the forest, unable to tell anyone anything. By the time he is human again, it will be too late, Sirius will be worse than dead. I might add that werewolves are so mistrusted by most of our kind that his support will count for very little and the fact that he and Sirius are old friends —"

"But —"

"Listen to me, Harry. It is too late, you understand me? You must see that Professor Snape's version of events is far more convincing than yours."

"He hates Sirius," Hermione said desperately. "All because of some stupid trick Sirius played on him —"

"Sirius has not acted like an innocent man. The attack on the Fat Lady — entering Gryffindor Tower with a knife — without Pettigrew, alive or dead, we have no chance of overturning Sirius's sentence."

"But you believe us."

"Yes, I do," said Dumbledore quietly. "But I have no power to make other men see the truth, or to overrule the Minister of Magic…"

I stared up into the grave face and felt as though the ground beneath me was falling sharply away. I had grown used to the idea that Dumbledore could solve anything. I had expected Dumbledore to pull some amazing solution out of the air. But no… their last hope was gone.

"What we need," said Dumbledore slowly, and his light blue eyes moved from Harry to Hermione to me, "is more time."

"But —" Hermione began. And then her eyes became very round. "OH!"

"Now, pay attention," said Dumbledore, speaking very low, and very clearly. "Sirius is locked in Professor Flitwick's office on the seventh floor. Thirteenth window from the right of the West Tower. If all goes well, you will be able to save more than one innocent life tonight. But remember this, both of you: you must not be seen. Miss Granger, you know the law — you know what is at stake… You — must — not — be —seen."

Harry and I didn't have a clue what was going on. Dumbledore had turned on his heel and looked back as he reached the door.

"I am going to lock you in. It is —" he consulted his watch, "five minutes to midnight. Miss Granger, three turns should do it. Good luck."

"Good luck?" Harry repeated as the door closed behind Dumbledore. "Three turns? What's he talking about? What are we supposed to do?"

But Hermione was fumbling with the neck of her robes, pulling from beneath them a very long, very fine gold chain.

"Harry, Cora come here," she said urgently. "Quick!"

Harry and I moved toward her, completely bewildered. She was holding the chain out. I saw a tiny, sparkling hourglass hanging from it.

"That's a time-turner," I gasped.

"Here —"

She had thrown the chain around Harry's and my neck too.

"Ready?" she said breathlessly.

"What are we doing?" Harry said, completely lost.

Hermione turned the hourglass over three times.

The dark ward dissolved. I had the sensation that I was flying very fast, backward. A blur of colours and shapes rushed past me, my ears were pounding, and I tried to yell but couldn't hear my own voice—

And then I felt solid ground beneath my feet, and everything came into focus again —

I was standing next to Hermione and Harry in the deserted entrance hall and a stream of golden sunlight was falling across the paved floor from the open front doors. I looked wildly around at Hermione and Harry, the chain of the hourglass cutting into my neck.

"Hermione, what —?"

"In here!" Hermione seized Harry's and my arm and dragged us across the hall to the door of a broom closet; she opened it, pushed us inside among the buckets and mops then slammed the door behind them.

"What — how — Hermione, what happened?"

"We've gone back in time," Hermione whispered, lifting the chain off Harry's and my neck in the darkness. "Three hours back…"

Harry found his own leg and gave it a very hard pinch. It hurt a lot, which seemed to rule out the possibility that he was having a very bizarre dream.

"But —"

"Shh! Listen! Someone's coming! I think — I think it might be us!" Hermione had her ear pressed against the cupboard door.

"Footsteps across the hall… yes, I think it's us going down to Hagrid's!"

"Are you telling me," Harry whispered, "that we're here in this cupboard and we're out there too?"

"Yes," said Hermione, her ear still glued to the cupboard door. "I'm sure it's us. It doesn't sound like more than three people… and we're walking slowly because we're under the Invisibility Cloak — "

She broke off, still listening intently.

"We've gone down the front steps…"

Hermione sat down on an upturned bucket, looking desperately anxious, but Harry wanted a few questions answered.

"Where did you get that hourglass thing?"

"It's called a Time-Turner," Hermione whispered, "and I got it from Professor McGonagall on our first day back. I've been using it all year to get to all my lessons. Professor McGonagall made me swear I wouldn't tell anyone. She had to write all sorts of letters to the Ministry of Magic so I could have one. She had to tell them that I was a model student, and that I'd never, ever use it for anything except my studies… I've been turning it back so I could do hours over again, that's how I've been doing several lessons at once, see? But…

"Harry, Cora, I don't understand what Dumbledore wants us to do. Why did he tell us to go back three hours? How's that going to help Sirius?" I stared at her shadowy face.

"There must be something that happened around now he wants us to change," Harry said slowly.

"What happened? We were walking down to Hagrid's three hours ago…"

"This is three hours ago, and we are walking down to Hagrid's," said Hermione. "We just heard ourselves leaving…"

I frowned; I felt as though I was screwing up my whole brain in concentration.

"Dumbledore just said — just said we could save more than one innocent life…" And then it hit me. "Hermione, we're going to save Buckbeak!"

"But — how will that help Sirius?"

"Dumbledore said — he just told us where the window is — the window of Flitwick's office! Where they've got Sirius locked up! We've got to fly Buckbeak up to the window and rescue Sirius! Sirius can escape on Buckbeak — they can escape together!"

From what I could see of Hermione's face, she looked terrified. "If we manage that without being seen, it'll be a miracle!"

"Well, we've got to try, haven't we?" said Harry. He stood up and pressed his ear against the door. "Doesn't sound like anyone's there… Come on, let's go."

Harry pushed open the closet door. The entrance hall was deserted. As quietly and quickly as we could, we darted out of the closet and down the stone steps. The shadows were already lengthening, the tops of the trees in the Forbidden Forest gilded once more with gold.

"If anyone's looking out of the window —" Hermione squeaked, looking up at the castle behind them.

"We'll run for it," I said determinedly. "Straight into the forest, all right? We'll have to hide behind a tree or something and keep a lookout —"

"Okay, but we'll go around by the greenhouses!' said Hermione breathlessly. "We need to keep out of sight of Hagrid's front door, or we'll see us! We must be nearly at Hagrid's by now!"

Still working out what she meant, Harry and I set off at a sprint, Hermione behind him. We tore across the vegetable gardens to the greenhouses, paused for a moment behind them, then set off again, fast as we could, skirting around the Whomping Willow, tearing toward the shelter of the forest…

Safe in the shadows of the trees, Harry and I turned around; seconds later, Hermione arrived beside us, panting. "Right," she gasped. "We need to sneak over to Hagrid's… Keep out of sight, Harry, Cora…"

We made their way silently through the trees, keeping to the very edge of the forest. Then, as we glimpsed the front of Hagrid's house, we heard a knock upon his door. We moved quickly behind a wide oak trunk and peered out from either side. Hagrid had appeared in his doorway, shaking and white, looking around to see who had knocked. And I heard Harry's own voice.

"It's us. We're wearing the Invisibility Cloak. Let us in and we can take it off."

"Yeh shouldn've come!" Hagrid whispered. He stood back, then shut the door quickly.

"This is the weirdest thing we've ever done," Harry said fervently.

"Let's move along a bit," Hermione whispered. "We need to get nearer to Buckbeak!"

We crept through the trees until we saw the nervous Hippogriff, tethered to the fence around Hagrid's pumpkin patch.

"Now?" Harry whispered.

"No!" I said. "If we steal him now, those Committee people will think Hagrid set him free! We've got to wait until they've seen he's tied outside!"

"That's going to give us about sixty seconds," said Harry. This was starting to seem impossible. At that moment, there was a crash of breaking china from inside Hagrid's cabin.

"That's Hagrid breaking the milk jug," Hermione whispered. "I'm going to find Scabbers in a moment —"

Sure enough, a few minutes later, we heard Hermione's shriek of surprise.

"Hermione," said Harry suddenly, "what if we — we just run in there and grab Pettigrew —"

"No!" said Hermione in a terrified whisper. "Don't you understand? We're breaking one of the most important wizarding laws! Nobody's supposed to change time, nobody! You heard Dumbledore, if we're seen —"

"We'd only be seen by ourselves and Hagrid!"

"Harry, what do you think you'd do if you saw yourself bursting into Hagrid's house?" said Hermione.

"I'd — I'd think I'd gone mad," said Harry, "or I'd think there was some Dark Magic going on —"

"Exactly!" said Hermione," You wouldn't understand, you might even attack yourself! Don't you see? Professor McGonagall told me what awful things have happened when wizards have meddled with time… Loads of them ended up killing their past or future selves by mistake!"

"Okay!" said Harry. "It was just an idea, I just thought —"

But Hermione nudged him and pointed toward the castle. Harry and I moved our heads a few inches to get a clear view of the distant front doors. Dumbledore, Fudge, the old Committee member, and Macnair the executioner were coming down the steps.

"We're about to come out!" Hermione breathed.

And sure enough, moments later, Hagrid's back door opened, and I saw Harry, Ron, and Hermione walking out of it with Hagrid. It was, without a doubt, the strangest sensation of my life, standing behind the tree, and watching Harry and Hermione in the pumpkin patch while they were right beside me.

"It's Okay, Beaky, it is okay…" Hagrid said to Buckbeak. Then he turned to Harry, Ron, and Hermione. "Go on. Get goin'."

"Hagrid, we can't —"

"We'll tell them what really happened —"

"They can't kill him —"

"Go! It's bad enough without you lot in trouble an' all!"

I watched the Hermione in the pumpkin patch throw the Invisibility Cloak over him and Ron.

"Go quick. Don' listen…"

There was a knock on Hagrid's front door. The execution party had arrived. Hagrid turned, around and headed back into his cabin, leaving the back door ajar. I watched the grass flatten in patches all around the cabin and heard three pairs of feet retreating. Harry, Ron, and Hermione had gone… but the Harry and Hermione, including me, hidden in the trees could now hear what was happening inside the cabin through the back door.

"Where is the beast?" came the cold voice of Macnair.

"Out — outside," Hagrid croaked.

Harry pulled his head out of sight as Macnair's face appeared at Hagrid's window, staring out at Buckbeak. Then we heard Fudge.

"We — er — have to read you the official notice of execution, Hagrid. I'll make it quick. And then you and Macnair need to sign it. Macnair, You're supposed to listen too, that's procedure-"

Macnair's face vanished from the window. It was now or never.

"Wait here," Harry whispered to Hermione and I. "I'll do it."

As Fudge's voice started again, Harry darted out from behind his tree, vaulted the fence into the pumpkin patch, and approached Buckbeak.

"It is the decision of the Committee for the Disposal of Dangerous Creatures that the Hippogriff Buckbeak, hereafter called the condemned, shall be executed on the sixth of June at sundown—"

Careful not to blink, Harry stared up into Buckbeak's fierce orange eyes once more and bowed. Buckbeak sank to his scaly knees and then stood up again. Harry began to fumble with the knot of rope tying Buckbeak to the fence.

"… Sentenced to execution by beheading, to be carried out by the Committee's appointed executioner, Walden Macnair…"

"Come on, Buckbeak," Harry murmured, "come on, we're going to help you. Quietly… quietly…"

"… As witnessed below. Hagrid, you sign here…"

Harry threw all his weight onto the rope, but Buckbeak had dug in his front feet.

"Well, let's get this over with," said the reedy voice of the Committee member from inside Hagrid's cabin. "Hagrid, perhaps it will be better if you stay inside —"

"No, I — I wan' ter be with him… I don' wan' him ter be alone —"

Footsteps echoed from within the cabin.

"Buckbeak, move!" Harry hissed.

Harry tugged harder on the rope around Buckbeak's neck. The Hippogriff began to walk, rustling its wings irritably. They were still ten feet away from the forest, in plain view of Hagrid's back door.

"One moment, please, Macnair," came Dumbledore's voice. "You need to sign too." The footsteps stopped. Harry heaved on the rope. Buckbeak snapped his beak and walked a little faster into the forest.

Mine and Hermione's white face was sticking out from behind a tree.

Finally having enough of this, I changed into a hippogriff and walked out of the forest. Buckbeak looked up in interest as he saw me and finally started to walk quickly towards us. I went back into the forest and went human again just before Harry and Buckbeak came in.

"Harry, hurry!" Hermione mouthed as she stopped staring at me and I came to stand beside her. I could still hear Dumbledore's voice talking from within the cabin. Harry gave the rope another wrench. Buckbeak broke into a grudging trot. They had reached the trees…

"Quick! Quick!" Hermione moaned, darting out from behind her tree, seizing the rope too and adding her weight to make Buckbeak move faster. Harry looked over his shoulder; they were now blocked from sight; they couldn't see Hagrid's garden at all.

"Stop!" he whispered to Hermione. "They might hear us."

Hagrid's back door had opened with a bang. Harry, Hermione, Buckbeak and I stood quite still; even the Hippogriff seemed to be listening intently. Silence… then —

"Where is it?" said the reedy voice of the Committee member. "Where is the beast?"

"It was tied here!" said the executioner furiously. "I saw it! Just here!"

"How extraordinary," Dumbledore said. There was a note of amusement in his voice.

"Beaky!" said Hagrid huskily.

There was a swishing noise, and the thud of an axe. The executioner seemed to have swung it into the fence in anger. And then came the howling, and this time they could hear Hagrid's words through his sobs.

"Gone! Gone! Bless his little beak, he's gone! Musta pulled himself free! Beaky, yeh clever boy!"

Buckbeak started to strain against the rope, trying to get back to Hagrid. Harry, Hermione, and I tightened our grip and dug our heels into the forest floor to stop him.

"Someone untied him!" the executioner was snarling. "We should search the grounds, the forest."

"Macnair, if Buckbeak has indeed been stolen, do you really think the thief will have led him away on foot?" said Dumbledore, still sounding amused. "Search the skies, if you will… Hagrid, I could do with a cup of tea. Or a large brandy."

"O' — o' course, Professor," said Hagrid, who sounded weak with happiness. "Come in, come in…"

Harry, Hermione and I listened closely. We heard footsteps, the soft cursing of the executioner, the snap of the door, and then silence once more.

"Now what?" whispered Harry looking around.

"We'll have to hide in here," said Hermione, who looked shaken. "We need to wait until they've gone back to the castle. Then we wait until it's safe to fly Buckbeak up to Sirius's window. He won't be there for another couple of hours… Oh, this is going to be difficult…"

She looked nervously over her shoulder into the depths of the forest. The sun was setting now.

"We're going to have to move," said Harry, thinking hard. "We've got to be able to see the Whomping Willow, or we won't know what's going on."

"Okay," said Hermione, getting a firmer grip on Buckbeak's rope. "But we've got to keep out of sight, Harry, remember…"

We moved around the edge of the forest, darkness falling thickly around them, until we were hidden behind a clump of trees through which they could make out the Willow.

"There's Ron!" said Harry suddenly.

A dark figure was sprinting across the lawn and its shout echoed through the still night air.

"Get away from him — get away — Scabbers, come here —" And then we saw two more figures materialize out of nowhere. I watched Harry and Hermione chasing after Ron. Then I saw Ron dive.

"Gotcha! Get off, you stinking cat —"

"There's Sirius!" said Harry. The great shape of the dog had bounded out from the roots of the Willow. We saw him bowl Harry over, then seize on…

"Looks even worse from here, doesn't it?" said Harry, watching the dog pulling Ron into the roots. "Ouch — look, I just got walloped by the tree — and so did you — this is weird —"

The Whomping Willow was creaking and lashing out with its lower branches; I could see them darting here and there, trying to reach the trunk. And then the tree froze.

"That was Crookshanks pressing the knot," said Hermione.

"And there we go…" Harry muttered. "We're in."

The moment they disappeared, the tree began to move again. Seconds later, I heard footsteps quite close by. Dumbledore, Macnair, Fudge, and the old Committee member were making their way up to the castle.

"Right after we'd gone down into the passage!" said Hermione. "If only Dumbledore had come with us…"

"Macnair and Fudge would've come too," said Harry bitterly. "I bet you anything Fudge would've told Macnair to murder Sirius on the spot…"

They watched the four men climb the castle steps and disappear from view. For a few minutes the scene was deserted. Then —

"Here comes Lupin!" said Harry as I saw another figure sprinting down the stone steps and halting toward the Willow. I looked up at the sky. Clouds were obscuring the moon completely.

We watched Remus seize a broken branch from the ground and prod the knot on the trunk. The tree stopped fighting, and Remus, too, disappeared into the gap in its roots.

"If he'd only grabbed the cloak," said Harry. "It's just lying there…"

He turned to Hermione.

"If I just dashed out now and grabbed it, Snape'd never be able to get it and —"

"Harry, we mustn't be seen!"

"How can you stand this?" I asked Hermione fiercely. "Just standing here and watching it happen?"

Harry hesitated. "I'm going to grab the cloak!"

"Harry, no!"

Hermione seized the back of Harry's robes not a moment too soon. Just then, I heard a burst of song. It was Hagrid, making his way up to the castle, singing at the top of his voice, and weaving slightly as he walked. A large bottle was swinging from his hands.

"See?" Hermione whispered. "See what would have happened? We've got to keep out of sight! No, Buckbeak!"

The Hippogriff was making frantic attempts to get to Hagrid again; I seized Buckbeak's rope too, straining to hold Buckbeak back. We watched Hagrid meander tipsily up to the castle. He was gone. Buckbeak stopped fighting to get away. His head drooped sadly.

Barely two minutes later, had the castle doors flew open yet again, and Snape come charging out of them, running toward the Willow.

Harry's fists clenched as we watched Snape skid to a halt next to the tree, looking around. He grabbed the cloak and held it up.

"Get your filthy hands off it," Harry snarled under his breath.

"Shh!" Snape seized the branch Remus had used to freeze the tree, prodded the knot, and vanished from view as he put on the cloak.

"So that's it," said Hermione quietly. "We're all down there… and now we've just got to wait until we come back up again…"

She took the end of Buckbeak's rope and tied it securely around the nearest tree, then sat down on the dry ground, arms around her knees.

"Harry, Cora, there's something I don't understand… Why didn't the Dementors get Sirius? I remember them coming, and then I think I passed out… there were so many of them…"

Harry and I sat down too. He explained what he and I'd seen; how, as the nearest Dementor had lowered its mouth to ours, two large silver something's had come galloping, or in one case racing, across the lake and forced the Dementors to retreat.

Hermione's mouth was slightly open by the time Harry had finished.

"But what were they?"

"There's only one thing it could have been, to make the Dementors go," said Harry. "A real Patronus. A powerful one."

"But who conjured it?"

Harry and I didn't say anything. I was thinking back to the person I'd seen on the other bank of the lake. I knew who I thought it had been… but how could it have been?

"Didn't you see what they looked like?" said Hermione eagerly. "Was it one of the teachers?"

"No," said Harry. "He wasn't a teacher."

"No," I said. "She wasn't a teacher." Harry and I had spoken at the same time.

"But they must have been a really powerful witch and wizard, to drive all those Dementors away… If the Patronus was shining so brightly, didn't it light them up? Couldn't you see —?"

"Yeah, I saw him," said Harry slowly. "But… maybe I imagined it… I wasn't thinking straight… I passed out right afterward…" I didn't say anything.

"Who did you think it was?"

"I think —" Harry swallowed, knowing how strange this was going to sound. "I think it was my dad."

"I think it was my mum." Yet again, Harry and I had spoken at the same time.

Harry glanced up at me then Hermione and saw that her mouth was fully open now. She was gazing at us with a mixture of alarm and pity. "Harry, Cora your dad and mum's — well — dead," she said quietly.

"I know that," said Harry and I quickly.

"You think you saw their ghost?"

"I don't know… no… they looked solid…"

"But then —"

"Maybe I was seeing things," said Harry. "But… from what I could see… it looked like him… I've got photos of him…"

Hermione was still looking at us as though worried about our sanity.

"I know it sounds crazy," I said flatly. I turned to look at Buckbeak, who was digging his beak into the ground, apparently searching for worms. But I wasn't really watching Buckbeak.

I was thinking about my mother and about my mother's four oldest friends… Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot, Pride and Prongs… Had all five of them been out on the grounds tonight? Wormtail had reappeared this evening when everyone had thought he was dead… Was it so impossible mine and Harry's parents had done the same? Had we been seeing things across the lake? The figures had been too far away to see distinctly… yet I had felt sure, for a moment, before I'd lost consciousness…

The leaves overhead rustled faintly in the breeze. The moon drifted in and out of sight behind the shifting clouds. Hermione sat with her face turned toward the Willow, waiting.

And then, at last, after over an hour…

"Here we come!" Hermione whispered.

She, Harry and I got to our feet. Buckbeak raised his head. We saw Remus, Ron, and Pettigrew clambering awkwardly out of the hole in the roots. Then came Hermione… then the unconscious Snape, drifting weirdly upward. Next came Harry, Sirius and I. They all began to walk toward the castle.

My heart was starting to beat very fast. I glanced up at the sky. Any moment now, that cloud was going to move aside and show the moon…

"Cora," Hermione muttered as though she knew exactly what I was thinking, "we've got to stay put. We mustn't be seen. There's nothing we can do…"

"So we're just going to let Pettigrew escape all over again…" said Harry quietly.

"How do you expect to find a rat in the dark?" snapped Hermione. "There's nothing we can do! We came back to help Sirius; we're not supposed to be doing anything else!"

"All right!"

"Guys, did you forget I stunned Peter and stuffed him in your robes, Hermione?" They stared mouth's open at me, then Hermione stuffed her hand into her robe pockets. But they came out empty. My eyes went steely.

The moon slid out from behind its cloud. We saw the tiny figures across the grounds stop. Then we saw movement —

"There goes Lupin," Hermione whispered. "He's transforming."

"Hermione, Cora!" said Harry suddenly. "We've got to move!"

"We mustn't, I keep telling you —"

"Not to interfere! Lupin's going to run into the forest, right at us!" I yelled

Hermione gasped.

"Quick!" she moaned, dashing to untie Buckbeak. "Quick! Where are we going to go? Where are we going to hide? The Dementors will be coming any moment —"

"Back to Hagrid's!" Harry said. "It's empty now — come on!"

We ran as fast as we could, Buckbeak cantering along behind us. I could hear the werewolf howling behind us…

The cabin was in sight; Harry skidded to the door, wrenched it open, and Hermione, Buckbeak and I flashed past him; Harry threw himself in after us and bolted the door. Fang the boarhound barked loudly.

"Shh, Fang, it's us!" I said, hurrying over and scratching his ears to quieten him. "That was really close!" I said to Harry.

"Yeah…"

Harry was looking out of the window. It was much harder to see what was going on from here. Buckbeak seemed very happy to find himself back inside Hagrid's house. He lay down in front of the fire, folded his wings contentedly, and seemed ready for a good nap.

"I think I'd better go outside again, you know," said Harry slowly. "I can't see what's going on — we won't know when it's time —"

Hermione and I looked up. Hermione's expression was suspicious.

"I'm not going to try and interfere," said Harry quickly. "But if we don't see what's going on, how're we going to know when it's time to rescue Sirius?"

"Well… okay, then… I'll wait here with Buckbeak… but Harry, be careful — there's a werewolf out there — and the Dementors."

"I'll go with you, Harry," I decided and walked over to him, leaving Hermione with Fang.

Harry and I stepped outside again and edged around the cabin. I could hear yelping in the distance.

That meant the Dementors were closing in on Sirius… He, Hermione and I would be running to him any moment…

For a fraction of a second we stood, irresolute, in front of Hagrid's door. You must not be seen. But I didn't want to be seen. I wanted to do the seeing… We had to know… I had to know.

I started out toward the lake, Harry right behind me, my heart doing a kind of drumroll in my chest… Whoever had sent those Patronus' would be appearing at any moment…

And there were the Dementors. They were emerging out of the darkness from every direction, gliding around the edges of the lake… They were moving away from where Harry and I stood, to the opposite bank… We wouldn't have to get near them…

Harry began to run, me following this time. I had no thought in my head except my mother… If it was her… if it really was her… I had to know, had to find out…

The lake was coming nearer and nearer, but there was no sign of anybody. On the opposite bank, I could see tiny glimmers of silver — Harry's and my own attempts at a Patronus —

There was a bush at the very edge of the water. Harry threw himself behind it, and then pulled me down beside him, peering desperately through the leaves. On the opposite bank, the glimmers of silver were suddenly extinguished. A terrified excitement shot through me — any moment now —

"Come on!" Harry muttered, staring about. "Where are you? Dad, come on —" While I went on.

"Hurry up, mum! Why aren't you coming? Come on!"

But no one came. Harry and I raised our heads to look at the circle of Dementors across the lake. One of them was lowering its hood. It was time for the rescuer to appear — but no one was coming to help this time —

And then it hit me — I understood. I hadn't seen my mother. I had seen myself — I flung myself out from behind the bush and pulled out my wand, not noticing that Harry had done the same.

"EXPECTO PATRONUM!" I yelled.

And out of the end of my wand burst, not a shapeless cloud of mist, but a blinding, dazzling, silver animal. I screwed up my eyes, trying to see what it was. It looked like a massive cat. It was running silently away from us, Harry's beside it like a faithful friend across the black surface of the lake. I saw them lower its heads and charge at the swarming Dementors… Now they were galloping and running around and around the black shapes on the ground, and the Dementors were falling back, scattering, retreating into the darkness… They were gone.

The Patronus' turned. They were cantering back toward Harry and me across the still surface of the water. It was a massive cat. It wasn't what I expected though. It was a lioness. It was shining brightly as the moon above… it was coming back to me… It stopped on the bank. Its paws made no mark on the soft ground as it stared at me with its large, silver eyes. Slowly, it bowed its big furry head. And I realized…"Pride," I whispered, just as Harry said 'Prongs'.

I pictured a magnificent lioness, its golden brown fur blazing in the sunlight, standing tall and proud on a massive rock overlooking the entire forest. Of course, my mother's patronus is the same as mine, a lioness. That explains it.

But as my trembling fingertips stretched toward the creature, it vanished.

Harry and I stood there, hands still outstretched. Then, with a great leap of my heart, I heard hooves behind me. Harry and I whirled around and saw Hermione dashing toward us, dragging Buckbeak behind her.

"What did you do?" she said fiercely. "You said you were only going to keep a lookout!"

"We just saved all our lives…" said Harry. "Get behind here behind this bush — I'll explain."

"Guys, I'll be right back." I looked back over to the lake, morphed into an owl then flew across to the other side of the lake, landing beside the unconscious Hermione. I put a foot into Hermione's pocket. Nothing. He wasn't there. The spell must have faded and he got away.

I clicked my beak in agitation and flew back over to the others landing with the no rat in my talons. As I landed I changed back to a human, Hermione and Harry looked up at me.

"Cora! You're not meant to interfere-!"

"I didn't interfere! Think about it Hermione. When you woke up, you didn't have the rat in your pocket, which means that he got away. I was just checking! " That shut her up.

"I don't know — Hey, look at Snape!"

Together we peered around the bush at the other bank. Snape had regained consciousness. He was conjuring stretchers and lifting the limp forms of Harry, Hermione, me and Sirius onto them. A fifth stretcher, no doubt bearing Ron, was already floating at his side. Then, wand held out in front of him, he moved them away toward the castle.

"Right, it's nearly time," said Hermione tensely, looking at her watch. "We've got about forty-five minutes until Dumbledore locks the door to the hospital wing. We've got to rescue Sirius and get back into the ward before anybody realizes we're missing…"

We waited, watching the moving clouds reflected in the lake, while the bush next to them whispered in the breeze. Buckbeak, bored, was ferreting for worms again.

"Do you reckon he's up there yet?" said Harry, checking his watch. He looked up at the castle and began counting the windows to the right of the West Tower.

"Look!" Hermione whispered. "Who's that? Someone's coming back out of the castle!"

Harry and I stared through the darkness. The man was hurrying across the grounds, toward one of the entrances. Something shiny glinted in his belt.

"Macnair!" said Harry. "The executioner! He's gone to get the Dementors! This is it —"

Hermione put her hands on Buckbeak's back and Harry gave her a leg up. He then turned to me, getting ready to help, but I shook my head, saying, "I don't need to. I can fly myself."

Then he placed his foot on one of the lower branches of the bush and climbed up in front of her. He pulled Buckbeak's rope back over his neck and tied it to the other side of his collar like reins.

I changed into an animal easy to ride on because its wings were further forward. Also they looked bloody awesome. So…Next thing you know…I was a Gryffin, half Lion half eagle.

"Ready?" Harry whispered to us, though they were both staring at me. "You'd better hold on to me —"

He nudged Buckbeak's sides with his heels. I took off from the ground.

It was wonderful. I did twists and turns as I glided through the air, backflips and intricate moves as the wind brushed the fur from my face and my wings shuddered as I moved.

I heard Hermione muttering, "Oh, no — I don't like this oh, I really don't like this —"

Harry urged Buckbeak forward. We were gliding quietly toward the upper floors of the castle… Harry pulled hard on the left-hand side of the rope, and Buckbeak turned. Harry was trying to count the windows flashing past —

"Whoa!" he said, pulling backward as hard as he could.

Buckbeak slowed down and they found themselves at a stop, unless you counted the fact that they kept rising up and down several feet as the Hippogriff and I beat our wings to remain airborne.

"He's there!" Harry said, spotting Sirius as they rose up beside the window.

I settled beside Buckbeak so we were both facing the window, and reached out a paw, tapping it so hard that it shattered into a dozen pieces. I grinned sheepishly in my Gryffin way, though it repaired itself straight after.

Sirius looked up. I saw his jaw drop. He leapt from his chair, hurried to the window and tried to open it, but it was locked.

"Stand back!" Hermione called to him, and she took out her wand, still gripping the back of Harry's robes with her left hand.

"Alohomora!" The window sprang open.

"How — how —?" said Sirius weakly, staring at the Hippogriff then at me.

"Get on — there's not much time," said Harry, gripping Buckbeak firmly on either side of his sleek neck to hold him steady. "You've got to get out of here — the Dementors are coming — Macnair's gone to get them."

Sirius placed a hand on either side of the window frame and heaved his head and shoulders out of it. It was very lucky he was so thin. In seconds, he had managed to fling one leg over my back and pull himself on, grabbing the fur around my head.

I flew off, my powerful wings beating the wind to make me go higher and higher. I heard Sirius sigh as the wind blew on his

"Okay, Buckbeak, up!" I heard Harry say, shaking the rope. "Up to the tower — come on."

Buckbeak flew beside me as we went up the tower, our wings making loud whooshing noises. As we landed on the roof, Sirius slid off me while Harry and Hermione slid off Buckbeak. I changed back into a human.

"Sirius, you'd better go, quickly," Harry panted. "They'll reach Flitwick's office any moment, they'll find out you're gone."

Sirius was staring at me. "You got that from your mother. And your Metamorphmagi," he added as my hair went blue. "And, if I'm not mistaken, you can also control the elements?" In answer I held up my hand and created a small ball of flame. He smirked,"

Buckbeak pawed the ground, tossing his sharp head.

"What happened to the other boy? Ron?" croaked Sirius.

"He's going to be okay. He's still out of it, but Madam Pomfrey says she'll be able to make him better. Quick — go —"

But Sirius was still staring down at Harry and me.

"How can I ever thank —"

"GO!" Harry, Hermione and I shouted together.

Sirius wheeled Buckbeak around, facing the open sky.

"We'll see each other again," he said. "You are — truly your father's son, Harry… And Cora, I love you."

"Love you too, dad," I said, tears stinging my eyes.

He squeezed Buckbeak's sides with his heels. Harry, Hermione and I jumped back as the enormous wings rose once more… The Hippogriff took off into the air… He and his rider became smaller and smaller as we gazed after them… then a cloud drifted across the moon… They were gone.


	22. Owl Post again

**Last chapter….VICTORY SCREECH!READ AND REVIEW! But remember I won't be posting the sequel until I get at least 35 reviews so keep reviewing.**

"Harry, Cora!"

Hermione was tugging at Harry's sleeve, staring at her watch. "We've got exactly ten minutes to get back down to the hospital wing without anybody seeing us — before Dumbledore locks the door —"

"Okay," said Harry, wrenching his gaze from the sky, "let's go…"

We slipped through the doorway behind them and down a tightly spiralling stone staircase. As we reached the bottom of it, we heard voices. We flattened ourselves against the wall and listened. It sounded like Fudge and Snape. They were walking quickly along the corridor at the foot of the staircase.

"… Only hope Dumbledore's not going to make difficulties," Snape was saying. "The Kiss will be performed immediately?"

"As soon as Macnair returns with the Dementors. This whole Black affair has been highly embarrassing. I can't tell you how much I'm looking forward to informing the Daily Prophet that we've got him at last… I daresay they'll want to interview you, Snape… and once Black's daughter and young Harry back in his right mind, I expect they'll want to tell the Prophet exactly how you saved them…"

I clenched my teeth. I caught a glimpse of Snape's smirk as he and Fudge passed Harry, Hermione's and my hiding place. Their footsteps died away. We waited a few moments to make sure they'd really gone, then started to run in the opposite direction. Down one staircase, then another, along a new corridor — then we heard a cackling ahead.

"Peeves!" I muttered, grabbing Hermione's and Harry's wrist. "In here!"

We tore into a deserted classroom to our left just in time. Peeves seemed to be bouncing along the corridor in boisterous good spirits, laughing his head off.

"Oh, he's horrible," whispered Hermione, her ear to the door. "I bet he's all excited because the Dementors are going to finish off Sirius…" She checked her watch. "Three minutes, guys!"

We waited until Peeves's gloating voice had faded into the distance, then slid back out of the room and broke into a run again.

"Hermione, Cora — what'll happen — if we don't get back inside before Dumbledore locks the door?" Harry panted.

"I don't want to think about it!" Hermione moaned, checking her watch again. "One minute!" We had reached the end of the corridor with the hospital wing entrance. "Okay — I can hear Dumbledore," said Hermione tensely. "Come on, Harry! Cora!"

We crept along the corridor. The door opened. Dumbledore's back appeared.

"I am going to lock you in," we heard him saying. "It is five minutes to midnight. Miss Granger, three turns should do it. Good luck."

Dumbledore backed out of the room, closed the door, and took out his wand to magically lock it. Panicking, Harry, Hermione and I ran forward. Dumbledore looked up, and a wide smile appeared under the long silver moustache. "Well?" he said quietly.

"We did it!" said Harry breathlessly. "Sirius has gone, on Buckbeak…"

Dumbledore beamed at them.

"Well done. I think —" He listened intently for any sound within the hospital wing. "Yes, I think you've gone too — get inside — I'll lock you in —"

We slipped back inside the dormitory. It was empty except for Ron, who was still lying motionless in the end bed. As the lock clicked behind them, we went back to our own beds, Hermione tucking the Time-Turner back under her robes. A moment later, Madam Pomfrey came striding back out of her office.

"Did I hear the headmaster leaving? Am I allowed to look after my patients now?" She was in a very bad mood. Harry, Hermione and I thought it best to accept our chocolate quietly. Madam Pomfrey stood over us, making sure we ate it. But I could hardly swallow. We were waiting, listening, our nerves jangling… And then, as we both took a fourth piece of chocolate from Madam Pomfrey, we heard a distant roar of fury echoing from somewhere above us…

"What was that?" said Madam Pomfrey in alarm.

Now we could hear angry voices, growing louder and louder. Madam Pomfrey was staring at the door.

"Really — they'll wake everybody up! What do they think they're doing?"

I was trying to hear what the voices were saying. They were drawing nearer —

"He must have Disapparated, Severus. We should have left somebody in the room with him. When this gets out —"

"HE DIDN'T DISAPPARATE!" Snape roared, now very close at hand. "YOU CAN'T APPARATE OR DISAPPARATE INSIDE THIS CASTLE! THIS — HAS — SOMETHING — TO — DO — WITH — POTTER AND THE BLACK GIRL!"

"Severus — be reasonable — Harry and Coraline have been locked up —"

BAM.

The door of the hospital wing burst open. Fudge, Snape, and Dumbledore came striding into the ward. Dumbledore alone looked calm. Indeed, he looked as though he was quite enjoying himself. Fudge appeared angry. But Snape was beside himself.

"OUT WITH IT, POTTER! BLACK!" he bellowed. "WHAT DID YOU DO?"

"Professor Snape!" shrieked Madam Pomfrey. "Control yourself!"

"See here, Snape, be reasonable," said Fudge. "This door's been locked, we just saw —"

"THEY HELPED HIM ESCAPE, I KNOW IT!" Snape howled, pointing at Harry, Hermione and I.

His face was twisted; spit was flying from his mouth.

"Calm down, man!" Fudge barked. "You're talking nonsense!"

"YOU DON'T KNOW POTTER AND BLACK!" shrieked Snape. "THEY DID IT, I KNOW THEY DID IT —"

"That will do, Severus," said Dumbledore quietly. "Think about what you are saying. This door has been locked since I left the ward ten minutes ago. Madam Pomfrey, have these students left their beds?"

"Of course not!" said Madam Pomfrey, bristling. "I would have heard them!"

"Well, there you have it, Severus," said Dumbledore calmly. "Unless you are suggesting that Harry, Coraline and Hermione are able to be in two places at once, I'm afraid I don't see any point in troubling them further."

Snape stood there, seething, staring from Fudge, who looked thoroughly shocked at his behaviour, to Dumbledore, whose eyes were twinkling behind his glasses. Snape whirled about, robes swishing behind him, and stormed out of the ward.

"Fellow seems quite unbalanced," said Fudge, staring after him. "I'd watch out for him if I were you, Dumbledore."

"Oh, he's not unbalanced," said Dumbledore quietly. "He's just suffered a severe disappointment."

"He's not the only one!" puffed Fudge. "The Daily Prophet's going to have a field day! We had Black cornered and he slipped through our fingers yet again! All it needs now is for the story of that Hippogriff's escape to get out, and I'll be a laughingstock! Well… I'd better go and notify the Ministry…"

"And the Dementors?" said Dumbledore. "They'll be removed from the school, I trust?"

"Oh yes, they'll have to go," said Fudge, running his fingers distractedly through his hair. "Never dreamed they'd attempt to administer the Kiss on an innocent boy and girl… Completely out of control… no, I'll have them packed off back to Azkaban tonight… Perhaps we should think about dragons at the school entrance…"

"Hagrid would like that," said Dumbledore, smiling at Harry, Hermione and I. As he and Fudge left the dormitory, Madam Pomfrey hurried to the door and locked it again. Muttering angrily to herself, she headed back to her office.

There was a low moan from the other end of the ward. Ron had woken up. We could see him sitting up, rubbing his head, and looking around.

"What — what happened?" he groaned. "Harry? Why are we in here? Where's Sirius? Where's Lupin? What's going on?"

Harry, Hermione and I looked at each other.

"You explain," said Harry, helping himself to some more chocolate.

When Harry, Ron, Hermione and I left the hospital wing at noon the next day, it was to find an almost deserted castle. The sweltering heat and the end of the exams meant that everyone was taking full advantage of another Hogsmeade visit. Neither Ron nor Hermione felt like going, however, so we and Harry wandered onto the grounds, still talking about the extraordinary events of the previous night and wondering where Sirius and Buckbeak were now.

Sitting near the lake, watching the giant squid waving its tentacles lazily above the water, I lost the thread of the conversation as I looked across to the opposite bank. The lioness had padded toward me from there just last night…

A shadow fell across us and we looked up to see a very bleary-eyed Hagrid, mopping his sweaty face with one of his tablecloth-sized handkerchiefs and beaming down at us.

"Know I shouldn' feel happy, after wha' happened las' night," he said. "I mean, Black escapin' again, an, everythin' — but guess what?"

"What?" we said, pretending to look curious.

"Beaky! He escaped! He's free! Bin celebratin' all night!"

"That's wonderful!" said Hermione, giving Ron a reproving look because he looked as though he was close to laughing.

"Yeah… can't've tied him up properly," said Hagrid, gazing happily out over the grounds. "I was worried this mornin', mind… thought he mighta met Professor Lupin on the grounds, but Lupin says he never ate anythin' las' night…"

"What?" said Harry and I quickly.

"Blimey, haven' yeh heard?" said Hagrid, his smile fading a little. He lowered his voice, even though there was nobody in sight. "Er — Snape told all the Slytherins this mornin'… Thought everyone'd know by now… Professor Lupin's a werewolf, see. An' he was loose on the grounds las' night… He's packin' now, o' course."

"He's packing?" said Harry and I again, alarmed. "Why?"

"Leavin', isn' he?" said Hagrid, looking surprised that Harry had to ask. "Resigned firs' thing this mornin'. Says he can't risk it happenin again." I scrambled to my feet, harry following suit.

"I'm going to see him," we said to Ron and Hermione.

"But if he's resigned —"

"— doesn't sound like there's anything we can do —"

"I don't care. I still want to see him. I'll meet you back here."

Remus's office door was open. He had already packed most of his things. The Grindylow's empty tank stood next to his battered old suitcase, which was open and nearly full. Remus was bending over something on his desk and looked up only when Harry knocked on the door.

"I saw you coming," said Remus, smiling. He pointed to the parchment he had been poring over. It was the Marauder's Map.

"We just saw Hagrid," said Harry. "And he said you'd resigned. It's not true, is it?"

"I'm afraid it is," said Remus. He started opening his desk drawers and taking out the contents.

"Why?" I said. "The Ministry of Magic don't think you were helping Sirius, do they?"

Remus crossed to the door and closed it behind us.

"No. Professor Dumbledore managed to convince Fudge that I was trying to save your lives." He sighed. "That was the final straw for Severus. I think the loss of the Order of Merlin hit him hard. So he — er — accidentally let slip that I am a werewolf this morning at breakfast."

"You're not leaving just because of that!" said Harry. Remus smiled wryly.

"This time tomorrow, the owls will start arriving from parents… They will not want a werewolf teaching their children, Harry. And after last night, I see their point. I could have bitten any of you… That must never happen again."

"You're the best Defence against the Dark Arts teacher we've ever had!" I said. "Don't go!"

Remus shook his head and didn't speak. He carried on emptying his drawers. Then, while Harry was trying to think of a good argument to make him stay, Remus said, "From what the headmaster told me this morning, you saved a lot of lives last night, Harry. If I'm proud of anything I've done this year, it's how much you've learned… Tell me about your Patronus'."

"How d'you know about that?" said Harry, distracted.

"What else could have driven the Dementors back?"

Harry told Remus what had happened. When he'd finished, Remus was smiling again.

"Yes, your father was always a stag when he transformed and your mother a lioness," he said. "You guessed right… that's why we called him Prongs and her Pride."

Remus threw his last few books into his case, closed the desk drawers, and turned to look at Harry.

"Here — I brought this from the Shrieking Shack last night," he said, handing Harry back the Invisibility Cloak. "And…" He hesitated, then held out the Marauder's Map too. "I am no longer your teacher, so I don't feel guilty about giving you back this as well. It's no use to me, and I daresay you, Ron, and Hermione will find uses for it."

Harry took the map and grinned.

"You told me Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot, Pride and Prongs would've wanted to lure me out of school… you said they'd have thought it was funny."

"And so we would have," said Remus, now reaching down to close his case. "I have no hesitation in saying that James and Spencer would have been highly disappointed if their son and daughter had never found any of the secret passages out of the castle."

There was a knock on the door. Harry hastily stuffed the Marauder's Map and the Invisibility Cloak into his pocket.

It was Professor Dumbledore. He didn't look surprised to see Harry there.

"Your carriage is at the gates, Remus," he said.

"Thank You, Headmaster." Remus picked up his old suitcase and the empty Grindylow tank.

"Well — good-bye, Harry, Cora" he said, smiling. "It has been a real pleasure teaching you. I feel sure we'll meet again sometime, Cora I'll see you next full moon. Headmaster, there is no need to see me to the gates, I can manage…"

Harry had the impression that Remus wanted to leave as quickly as possible.

"Good-bye, then, Remus," said Dumbledore soberly. Remus shifted the Grindylow tank slightly so that he and Dumbledore could shake hands. Then, with a final nod to Harry and me, and a swift smile, Remus left the office.

I stood there for a few seconds, frozen in shock, then bolted from the office and after Remus. He was already at the end of the hall but I caught up to him easily and threw my arms around his waist.

He jumped in surprise then grinned, wrapping one arm around my shoulders. I buried my face in his shirt, and sighed, thinking how much I would miss him.

"I'll see ya later," I said as I pulled away and Remus held his bags more securely. I gave him a small smile as he walked the rest of the way down the corridor then turned the corner, disappearing from sight.

I stood in the corridor for what felt like hours, but was probably only ten minutes. I would have been there for longer, had not a sudden shout brought me out of my thoughts.

"CORALINE!" I whipped around at the yell that penetrated my ears and spotted the people I hadn't seen in two days. Fred and George were running down the hallway, both with excited grins on their faces and a jump in their step.

"GUYS!" I yelled as I started towards them as well. I collided with them and one of them picked me up and spun me around while the other, after he had finished, picked me up and put me on his shoulders.

I laughed as I looked down to identify each twin. George was the one that I was met with so I was most likely on Fred's shoulders, unless there was a third twin that I didn't know about.

"Hey, guys," I said. We beamed at each other, me clutching to Fred's head so I wouldn't fall, even though it wouldn't matter if I did cause it wouldn't hurt me.

Nobody at Hogwarts now knew the truth of what had happened the night that Sirius, Buckbeak, and Pettigrew had vanished except Harry, Ron, Hermione, and I, and, of course, Professor Dumbledore. As the end of term approached, I heard many different theories about what had really happened, but none of them came close to the truth.

Malfoy was furious about Buckbeak. He was convinced that Hagrid had found a way of smuggling the Hippogriff to safety, and seemed outraged that he and his father had been outwitted by a gamekeeper. Percy Weasley, meanwhile, had much to say on the subject of Sirius's escape.

"If I manage to get into the Ministry, I'll have a lot of proposals to make about Magical Law Enforcement!" he told the only person who would listen — his girlfriend, Penelope.

Though the weather was perfect, though the atmosphere was so cheerful, though I knew we had achieved the near impossible in helping Sirius to freedom, I had never approached the end of a school year in worse spirits.

I certainly wasn't the only one who was sorry to see Professor Lupin go. The whole of my house was miserable about his resignation.

"Wonder what they'll give us next year?" said Seamus Finnigan gloomily.

"Maybe a Vampire," said Dean Thomas.

I wouldn't have thought it possible that Snape's dislike for me could increase, but it certainly had. He now hated me as much as he hated Harry, and that was saying something, because he just recently got to a new level of loathing for him. A muscle twitched unpleasantly at the corner of Snape's thin mouth every time he looked at me, and he was constantly flexing his fingers, as though itching to place them around my throat. Percy had got his top-grade N.E.W.T.s; Fred and George had scraped a handful of O.W.L.s each; I didn't know my scores yet.

Gryffindor House, meanwhile, largely thanks to their spectacular performance in the Quidditch Cup, had won the House championship for the third year running. This meant that the end of term feast took place amid decorations of scarlet and gold, and that the Gryffindor table was the noisiest of the lot, as everybody celebrated.

As the Hogwarts Express pulled out of the station the next morning (I was sitting with them), Hermione gave Harry, Ron and I some surprising news.

"I went to see Professor McGonagall this morning, just before breakfast. I've decided to drop Muggle Studies."

"But you passed your exam with three hundred and twenty percent!" said Ron.

"I know," sighed Hermione, "but I can't stand another year like this one. That Time-Turner, it was driving me mad. I've handed it in. Without Muggle Studies and Divination, I'll be able to have a normal schedule again."

"I still can't believe you didn't tell us about it," said Ron grumpily. "We're supposed to be your friends."

"I promised I wouldn't tell anyone," said Hermione severely. She looked around at Harry, who was watching Hogwarts disappear from view behind a mountain.

"Oh, cheer up, Harry!" said Hermione sadly.

"I'm okay," said Harry quickly. "Just thinking about the holidays."

"Yeah, I've been thinking about them too," said Ron. "Harry, Cora, you've got to come and stay with us. I'll fix it up with Mum and Dad, then I'll call you. I know how to use a fellytone now —"

"A telephone, Ron," said Hermione. "Honestly, you should take Muggle Studies next year…" Ron ignored her.

"It's the Quidditch World Cup this summer! How about it, guys? Come and stay, and we'll go and see it! Dad can usually get tickets from work."

This proposal had the effect of cheering Harry up a great deal.

"Yeah… I bet the Dursleys'd be pleased to let me come… especially after what I did to Aunt Marge…"

Feeling considerably more cheerful, Harry and I joined Ron and Hermione in several games of Exploding Snap, and when the witch with the tea cart arrived, we bought ourselves a very large lunch, though nothing with chocolate in it.

But it was late in the afternoon before the thing that made us truly happy turned up…

"Harry," said Hermione suddenly, peering over his shoulder. "What's that thing outside your window?"

Harry turned to look outside. Something very small and grey was bobbing in and out of sight beyond the glass. He stood up for a better look and saw that it was a tiny owl, carrying two letters that were much too big for it. The owl was so small, in fact, that it kept tumbling over in the air, buffeted this way and that in the train's slipstream. Harry quickly pulled down the window, stretched out his arm, and caught it. It felt like a very fluffy Snitch. He brought it carefully inside.

The owl dropped its letter onto Harry's seat and mine and began zooming around our compartment, apparently very pleased with itself for accomplishing its task. Hedwig, Demeter and Apollo clicked their beaks with a sort of dignified disapproval. Crookshanks and Calypso sat up in their seat, following the owl with his and her great yellow and green eyes. Ron, noticing this, snatched the owl safely out of harm's way.

Harry picked up the letter. It was addressed to him. He ripped open the letter, and shouted, "It's from Sirius!"

"What?" said Ron and Hermione excitedly "Read it aloud!"

_Dear Harry,_

_I hope this finds you before you reach your aunt and uncle. I don't know whether they're used to owl post._

_Buckbeak and I are in hiding. I won't tell you where, in case this owl falls into the wrong hands._

_I have some doubt about his reliability, but he is the best I could find, and he did seem eager for the job._

_I believe the Dementors are still searching for me, but they haven't a hope of finding me here. I am planning to allow some Muggles to glimpse me soon, a long way from Hogwarts, so that the security on the castle will be lifted._

_There is something I never got around to telling you during our brief meeting. It was I who sent you the Firebolt —_

"Ha!" said Hermione triumphantly. "See! I told you it was from him!"

"Yes, but he hadn't jinxed it, had he?" said Ron. "Ouch!" The tiny owl now hooting happily in his hand, had nibbled one of his fingers in what it seemed to think was an affectionate way. –

_Crookshanks took the order to the Owl Office for me. I used your name but told them to take the gold from my own Gringotts vault. Please consider it as thirteen birthdays' worth of presents from your godfather._

_I would also like to apologize for the fright I think I gave you that night last year when you left your uncle's house. I had only hoped to get a glimpse of you before starting my journey north, but I think the sight of me alarmed you._

_I am enclosing something else for you, which I think will make your next year at Hogwarts more enjoyable._

_If ever you need me, send word. Your owl will find me._

_I'll write again soon._

_Sirius_

Harry looked eagerly inside the envelope. There was another piece of parchment in there. He read it through quickly and felt suddenly as warm and contented as though he'd swallowed a bottle of hot butterbeer in one gulp.

I, Sirius Black, Harry Potter's godfather, hereby give him permission to visit Hogsmeade on weekends.

"That'll be good enough for Dumbledore!" said Harry happily. He looked back at Sirius's letter. "Hang on, there's a PS…"

I thought your friend Ron might like to keep this owl, as it's my fault he no longer has a rat.

Ron's eyes widened. The minute owl was still hooting excitedly. "Keep him?" he said uncertainly. He looked closely at the owl for a moment; then, to Harry's and Hermione's great surprise, he held him out for Crookshanks to sniff.

"What do you reckon?" Ron asked the cat. "Definitely an owl?"

Crookshanks purred.

"That's good enough for me," said Ron happily. "He's mine."

"What's in your letter?" Hermione asked. I tore it open and started to read.

_Dear Coraline,_

_I hope this reaches you before it falls into the wrong hands, but I must say that Buckbeak and I are safe and in hiding. I think you'll be finding a surprise when you get home. You should thank Dumbledore for that. You might have heard that I bought that Firebolt for Harry, Which also leads to another surprise for you when you reach home. I would also like to apologise for cutting your cheek that time in the Gryffindor common room. I hope to see you soon._

_I love you, Cora,_

_Your dad_

I smiled slightly, then traced my finger lightly over the scar on my cheek. It was barely noticeable unless you were close up.

I read and reread the letter from Sirius all the way back into King's Cross station. It was still clutched tightly in my hand as Harry, Ron, Hermione and I stepped back through the barrier of platform nine and three-quarters. Harry spotted his Uncle Vernon at once. He was standing a good distance from Mr. and Mrs. Weasley, eyeing them suspiciously, and when Mrs. Weasley hugged Harry in greeting, his worst suspicions about them seemed confirmed.

"I'll call about the World Cup!" Ron yelled after Harry as Harry bid him and Hermione good-bye, then wheeled the trolley bearing his trunk and Hedwig's cage toward Uncle Vernon, who greeted him in his usual fashion. I followed Harry over to him.

"What's that?" he snarled, staring at the envelope Harry was still clutching in his hand. "If it's another form for me to sign, you've got another —"

"It's not," said Harry cheerfully. "It's a letter from my godfather."

"Godfather?" sputtered Uncle Vernon. "You haven't got a godfather!"

"Yes, I have," said Harry brightly. "He was my mum and dad's best friend. He's a convicted murderer, but he's broken out of wizard prison and he's on the run. He likes to keep in touch with me, though… keep up with my news… check if I'm happy…"

"And who is this?" Vernon asked in fury, looking me over from head to toe. The horsey woman beside him sniffed slightly as she looked at my green streaked hair.

"Oh, this is my godsister. Her dad is the convicted murderer. She likes to talk to him as well, and she can do magic out of school." I laughed as they simpered down at the wand in my hand.

And, grinning broadly at the look of horror on Uncle Vernon's face, Harry set off toward the station exit, waving to me, Hedwig rattling along in front of him, for what looked like a much better summer than the last.

I smirked as he disappeared around the corner, then turned back towards the Weasley family. I went over to Mrs. Weasley, getting ready for the bone-crushing hug I was about to receive. Sure enough, as Mrs. Weasley spotted me, she swooped down like a bird and squished me to death. Not literally.

"Mum, your choking her," said Ginny, coming to my rescue. Mrs. Weasley let me go and I gasped, before turning to Ginny.

"My saviour!" I cried, pretending to sob into her shoulder. Ginny laughed and patted me on the back. I turned back to the others and grinned.

"Well, I gotta go. My place is so far away and I have to get back in time for my aunts dinner. I swear it's some of the best stuff I've ever had." I waved to them and pulled out my wand, shrinking my trunk until I could put it in my pocket.

Finishing with that, I let Demeter and Apollo out of their cages.

"You sure you can fly all the way to Australia?" I asked quietly. They hooted softly and nibbled my ears affectionately before lifting off my shoulders, where they were perched, and soaring through the sky.

I shrunk their cages as well and stuffed them in my pocket before saying goodbye again to the Weasleys and saying that I might see them during the holidays.

I started to walk away from them and managed to reach the other side of the train station, which was a while away, before a hand grabbed my shoulder and I whipped around, ready to give some ass kicking If someone tried to hurt me.

"Calm down, it's just me." I looked up to see George standing over me, looking slightly amused. I let my Karate hands fall back down.

"Hey, why are you here?" I asked. He looked behind him at the Weasleys, who couldn't see us at that angle, then faced me. Next thing I knew, his lips had connected with mine and we were kissing softly. This went on for a grand total of several minutes, before I pulled back, smiling.

"I'll miss you," I said and gave him a kiss on the cheek before turning and leaving him with a dazed expression. I left kings cross station and went over to a nearby alleyway, grabbing Calypso out of her cage as I went. From there, as I did every year, I turned into an aura and flew all the way to my home, which took only about five minutes.

As I landed on the ground in front of my house, I was suddenly tackled to the ground by a large black hairy thing. I pushed it off me and rolled over so I was further away from it. I looked over at the thing that tackled me and had the biggest surprise of my life.

A big, black, shaggy dog was facing me, his ass in the air and his tail wagging. I rubbed my eyes to see if what I was seeing was real and, when he didn't disappear, I squealed and lunged at him, bowling him over as I hugged him.

"Oh my Merlin, Sirius! I can't believe you're here! This is amazing!" I got up off the floor and bounced on the balls of my feet, ecstatic. I don't think there was a person in the world happier than me, except perhaps Sirius.

Sirius hopped up onto all fours and then became a human, coming over to me and wrapping me up in a fatherly embrace.

"Hey, Cora," he whispered in my ear.

"Hey, dad."

I looked over towards the house and saw Remus and Amber looking over happily, a grin on both their faces.

Turning back to Sirius, I asked, "How did you get here so fast?"

"Well as I said in that letter, Dumbledore had something to do with this. He told me a how to get here when he went to hear my story. And I got here so fast because of Buckbeak. Wasn't for him and I'd be scavenging off of rats still."

"Well that sounds lovely," I said sarcastically. Sirius chuckled and led me over to the others. Amber embraced me and kissed me on the cheek, then passed me on to Remus, who hugged me tightly.

"So can we go eat? I haven't eaten since the train and Aura travelling makes me hungry." Amber laughed and went into the kitchen as I jumped onto the couch and kicked my shoes off, flicking them into the corner of the room with my hand. Dumbledore's lessons sure did come in handy, I thought.

"So Cora, can you show me what you can do? As in power wise?" I looked up at Sirius, inclining my head.

"Why?"

"Because I'm curious."

"Curiosity killed the cat, you know," I said with a smirk.

"And satisfaction brought it back," He countered, poking his tongue out.

"Fine, okay." I jumped back off the couch, Sirius and Remus following me, and walked outside into a nearby clearing.

"Okay, so you know I'm a Metamorphmagus and an Animorphagus. But I don't know if Dumbledore told you but I can do that thing that…mum…can do." I held my arm up, palm facing the sky and a stream of fire shot out and encircled me and the others (Thought it didn't hurt us)

The stream of fire was replaced with water, which I heated slightly and made it pour over Sirius. Remus and I laughed as he glared at me, dripping wet. At least he didn't look as dirty.

"Why'd you do that for?" he asked in a hurt voice. I laughed even more then held my hand out towards him again, this time sending a huge breeze towards him, drying him off instantly. He shivered in the cold.

"Well, you're kind of filthy so I though you know, might look better…and smell better," I added under my breath.

"Well then, if that's how you feel." He turned around and flicked his mat of hair over his shoulder like one of those bimbo girls, and started to stalk off.

"Wuss!" I called out to him. He stopped dead in his tracks and turned around slowly, his arms held stiff by his side. His body language said he was mad, but his face was full of excitement and amusement, making him look at least ten years younger.

"Oh no you didn't," He said in a girly-girl voice, clicking his fingers in a 'Z' formation. It was all of my will power that stopped me from bursting out laughing then and there.

"Oh yes I did."

"Fine then. We shall fight…to the death! Bum bump bahhhh!" He got into a weird fighting pose as I did the same, though mine was much better.

"Cora would win." I heard from over where Remus was standing. I cast a fleeting look over at him to see that Amber had joined us.

"Hey, foods ready!" She yelled across the clearing to us. We halted straight away then started to run over to her.

I meet up with Sirius as we walked, standing next to him. "Impressed?"

"Oh yes, definitely. You know, you're very much like your mother. You even look the same, though you have my hair…well, my old hair." He picked a matted strand of it then let it fall back.

I sighed and pulled out my wand before using a severing charm and cutting it to shoulder length. Sirius beamed at me but I held up a hand.

"I'm not finished yet." I waved my wand a few times muttered things like 'Tergio hair' and 'Scourgify'.

By the time I was finished, Sirius' hair was untangled, soft, shaggy and, best of all, clean. Sirius felt it then picked me up in a hug.

"It feels amazing," He said amazing in a sing-song voice.

"Of course it does, I did it," I said cockily.

"Ahhh," he sighed, "she got her cockiness from me."

"Yes I did, now let's go get food." We speed up until we were racing each other across the clearing and back to the house, the sun slowly setting along the tree tops.

As we walked into the house, I saw that the food was already set out all along the table. Beef, lamb chops, potatoes, salad and gravy.

"Ahhh," Sirius moaned then practically lunged at it, shovelling food straight onto his plate then into his mouth. I looked at him with eyes wide for a few seconds then followed his lead, piling food from plate to mouth without a second thought.

Amber and Remus were both staring at us as we stacked pieces of food upon food into our mouths, their own forks held in suspense above their plates. You would have thought, after over ten years of seeing them eat this way, they would have gotten used to it.

You would have thought…

**Yay this chapter is done. The First part of the story finished. ISN'T IT AMAZING! VICTORY SCREECH! Tell me if I should keep the other two parts in the same fan fiction or make two separate one. I'm having a debate about it with myself. Remember to review or no sequel.**


	23. Bonding

**I decided to keep it as three different stories, okay. Read and review! **

**(Third-person P.O.V)**

"_I was lying, you filthy blood-traitor. Do you really think that I would want you as a daughter? You're pathetic. You're weak. You're not my daughter," Sirius Black spat at Cora. _

"_No, that's not true. You said," She shouted, tears spilling down her face. "You're not like that. You're good, I thought you were good."_

_Sirius laughed a cruel bark like laugh. "Fool! You actually believe that? I am the Dark Lord's most trusted follower! I alone know the Dark Lord's darkest secrets!"_

_Cora stayed silent, staring defiantly at him. "Fine, then. But when you have your soul sucked out by a Dementor don't go crying to me," she said sarcastically, rolling her eyes. And then before she knew it, she was falling to her knees, screaming in agony as Sirius pointed his wand at her…_

"Coraline! Oh my Godric, what's wrong with her?!" Sirius' frantic voice hit her and she bolted up out of bed, heart pumping. She looked at Amber, to Remus, to Sirius, who were all surrounding her bed, and then promptly burst into tears.

"Cora, are you okay?" Amber asked softly, smoothing the hair back that had fallen in her eyes.

"Yeah, yeah, I'm fine. I. Am. Fine," she said, still trembling in fear.

"No, you're not," Sirius said, "Hey Remus, Amber can you leave for a sec? I want to talk to Cora." Remus and Amber left without a word said, closing the door behind them.

Sirius opened his mouth to talk but she cut across him. "Wait! Before we talk, can we go outside? It's really stuffy in hear." Sirius nodded and stood, pulling her up by her hand. They started for the door, then just as she was about to turn the knob, Sirius stopped her.

"Watch this." He smirked and quickly but silently opened the door. And next thing she knew, Remus and Amber had tumbled into the room, landing in a heap on the floor.

Cora started to laugh at their dazed expression then was joined by Sirius' loud bark-like laugh, so different to her dream, where it was cold and cruel.

"Coooorrrraaaaa," Amber whined, reaching her hand up, "Help me." Cora laughed harder and stepped over her, then Remus, who was chuckling good-naturedly.

"C'mon dad. I think they can fend for themselves for a while." She left the room, Sirius following, and went out to the front yard, sitting down on the grass. She took a moment to take in her surroundings.

Sirius was in new clothes, and looked infinitely better than he did last time she saw him, now that he wasn't in his old filthy Azkaban robes. He looked happier as well, though not as happy as he was in the photos that she had seen of him. She moved her focus from him.

The sky was a dreary dull grey, the cloud cover so dark there was no doubt that it would rain. The trees surrounding her home blew around fitfully in the cold June breeze, and the grass was dark green and long. She took a deep breath as she waited for Sirius to begin.

"You know I can't stay here long, right?" Sirius started, and Cora nodded a little. "Because the ministry will be looking all over for me and I don't want you or Remus or Amber to get convicted for harbouring a criminal."

"And I figured that because I can't be cleared now that Peter is gone, but when you go back to school, I'm gonna leave, maybe even before that. And you're probably going to go to the Quidditch tournament with Harry, and I want you to keep an eye on him, because something is bound to happen to him this year. It happens every year." Cora nodded again and opened her mouth to speak.

"I know, and I will, but do you have any idea where you're going to go. You can't just run off with nowhere to go. You'll get yourself killed."

"I think I'm gonna go to Australia," he said, much to her surprise. "You know that's where your mum grew up and I used to visit it there a lot before…Let's just say since I went to Azkaban. But I've always wanted to go back and it seems to me like one of the last places the Ministry would expect me to go."

"Yeah, that seems likely, but still." She was about to continue, but a shadow suddenly passed over her face. She looked up and spotted an owl settling down on the edge of her roof, then falling off as its leg slipped. She recognised it immediately as Errol, the Weasleys owl. She got to her feet and walked over to where the bird was sitting, looking ruffled and old.

She took the letter from his beak and opened it, absently petting his head. The letter, which turned out to be from the twins, read.

Dear Cora

This is Fred by the way, and dad told me to write you a letter about the Quidditch tournament and If you could go. Also George is desperate to see you, even though he won't admit it. If you can go, just send another letter with Errol and dad will get you some time on Tuesday. Also try and bring some prank stuff.

See you later, George says hi

Fred

She smirked and hugged Errol in excitement. The Quidditch tournament! It was one of the places she had wanted to go to ever since she could remember. She turned back around, letting Errol go, to face her father.

"I'm going to the tournament!" She yelled in excitement then turned abruptly and ran back into the house.

"Amber!" Cora shouted, and Amber ran down the stairs in worry.

"What, what is it?" she asked frantically, her wand held erratically.

"Can I go please?" Cora whined and shoved the note into Amber's hands. Her eyes flicked back and forth as she read the letter, and when she had finished, her eyes had started to shimmer in amusement.

"Yes you can go, but I really want to know who this George is." She hooked an arm through Cora's and led over to sit on the couch. Cora felt her cheeks darken and she let her hair fall over her shoulders to cover it, but Amber still noticed.

She squealed in excitement. "Oh my god! Is he cute? Are you dating him? What does he look like?" The questions kept coming, and Cora threw a hand over her aunt's mouth to get her to shut up.

"Yes, he's cute. I don't know if I'm dating him. He has orange hair, brown eyes and he has an identical twin. Also he is a Weasley and is extremely nice and funny and respectable."

"So he's a Weasley." Cora heard a voice behind her, and slowly turned in horror to face her dad. She laughed breathlessly in embarrassment and held up a cautious hand.

"Yes, and you know the Weasleys. You know, Molly and Arthur?" Sirius nodded but still looked mildly irritated. Cora ignored his look and stood, announcing that she was gonna send a letter to Fred telling him she could go.

She took the stairs three at a time and ran into her room, eager to confirm her going. Errol had already left and Demeter was out hunting, but Apollo was sleeping on top of her drawers next to Caly. She went to her desk under the window and pulled out some parchment, a Phoenix feather quill and a pot of ink. She started to write.

To Fred and George

Amber said I could go with you so I'll see you soon. Also, I've got a few couple bags filled with stuff from Gambol and Japes shop. You gotta show me some of your products when I get there because I can help with the magic considering I'm of age. And tell your dad that I don't have a fireplace so he needs to apparate. And tell George I miss him to though I don't think I'm quite desperate considering it's only been a few weeks. Anyway….

Also keep Apollo there so I don't have to bring him with me. He hates apparation.

Lots of love

Coraline

She folded the letter and went to tie it to Apollo's leg. He held it out sleepily and gave her an affectionate nip as he flew out the window. Cora watched him go, leaning on her window, and tried not to think about how much she wanted to see George. Sure she had said that she didn't miss him as much as he missed her but it was a complete lie, and as he said, she was desperate to be with him too.

She left her room again and walked down the stairs, wondering if Amber had starting cooking yet. Usually when she got bored like this she would help out with the making of the food, but she wasn't even sure how long she had been in her room for. But she was in luck, Amber had only just started.

"Hey, can I help?" Cora asked as she walked into the kitchen. Remus was already in there whipping something in a bowl. Without a word, Amber shoved a peeler and a carrot into her hand. Cora pocked her tongue at her and went over to the sink, peeling the vegetable.

Sirius came in not 10 seconds later, his nose twitching at the smell of food. He looked at the three of them and started laughing his rich bark like laugh, though he stopped completely when Amber gave him a bowl of softened potatoes. She left him with orders to mash them and he grudgingly started to squish them with the masher.

Cora turned back to her own job, and had finished the fourth carrot when something hit her in the back of the head. She froze, a carrot half raised, and listened as the others laughed. Suddenly, she whipped around and threw a pile of carrot peels at Sirius' head. The landed on his head and feel through his hair and in his eyes. He blindly grabbed more potato and threw it, badly misjudging where she was and hitting Remus in the shoulder.

Remus glared at him and grabbed some of the whipped cream from his bowl and went to peg in at Sirius when something else hit him in the side. He looked over at Cora but she shook her head and pointed over at Amber, who was trying to be innocent looking. He instead threw his load at her and she tried to duck. It hit her in the forehead, her not being fast enough to dodge it.

Cora picked up more carrot peels and they all ended up through peoples hair and hanging of their clothes. Food went flying everywhere, splatting over the walls and floor, and covering the four of them from head to toes. And the eggs and flour for the meat had ended up coating everything and it was all left a sickly gooey grey-yellow colour.

"Well dinner is ruined," Cora said as she sat against the cabinets, her legs stretched out in front of her. "Anyone want a sandwich?"

"Yeah," Sirius said, and stopped leaning on the fridge.

"Good, thanks. I'll have ham, lettuce tomato, cheese and mayonnaise," she listed, and her father huffed and crossed his arms.

"I don't want to make you a sandwich," he whined and fell back onto the ground across from her. Cora laughed and morphed her hand out so she could pat him on the arm. She pushed out the front of the fridge and opened it, pulling out all sorts of stuff for her sandwich. The others watched her as she made four sandwiches.

She picked them up, two in each hand, and morphed her arms back to their normal length. Sirius, Amber and Remus held out a hand to take one of them each but she held them back.

"Only Remus can have one because he threw the least food at me," she said and handed one of the sandwiches to him. Remus thanked her and poked his tongue at Sirius and Amber, smirking at the despairing look on their faces.

"Hey, I threw only some flour at you," Amber said, crossing her arms over her chest. Cora sighed and handed her a sandwich then waited for Sirius to start complaining.

"Hey, I think I should get one because I am your father and haven't had a sandwich in 12 years." He pursed his lips like that was enough and waited for her to give him one. She threw it at his face and he held up a hand to catch it, instead squishing it in between his palms. He ate it any way, liking the mayonnaise off his fingers when he was finished.

"You're a pig," Amber said as he continued with the liking.

"Actually, I'm a dog," he said then gave a shake of his head like he was flicking water from his hair.

"No, really. I thought you were a camel," Cora said sarcastically with a sneer. The others looked at her as she suddenly busted out laughing, falling over onto her side and smashing her hand against the floor as racking shivers shook down her ribs. The others started to laugh as well, probably not at her comment but on her contagious her laugh was.

"You guys are so awesome," Cora said in between her laugh and she crawled over to amber and hugged her. She reached out her hands and dragged Remus and Sirius over to them, and she never wanted to let them go, her family.

**Well the story is done and there will definitely be a sequel so I hope you enjoy and please Read and Review! I own nothing but Coraline, Calypso, Demeter and Apollo, and Amber Also Spencer.**

**Lots of love**

**~Althea**


	24. Author's Note

**Hi**

Hello, readers.

The story is finally finished, and thanks to all of you that have reached the end (of this story, anyway, there will be a sequel up soon) and please keep reviewing, because the more motivation you give me the more I'll want to write more and more until all of my stories and Alternate versions are finished. I hope you enjoyed this, as well, because my readers mean a lot to me and I LOVE IT when i get positive reviews asking for more. Usually straight after I get one I spend hours writing on that story to try and get it finished sooner.

Now, I'm also writing a Draco/OC story, and the OC is Harry's twin sister. I want to know is you think I should go through all her school years, or just the last few like the sixth year, and then the searching of the Horcruxes. I've already started it going throughout her first year, but I just want to make it what you want, because you know me. I like to give my readers the best. SO give me a review telling me what yo want. The story starting from her first year and going all the way through them, or just starting from her fifth year or something. Either way, though, I'll put in a chapter on her Sorting with Harry. And I'm also doing the book-versions of the Harry Potter series, not the movies, so they will be much longer.

Let me know what you think with a review, and keep your eyes peeled for when I post the sequel to "Things happen- Deal with it." And also keep in tune to my Draco/OC stories. REVIEW, I love you all.

~Althea


	25. Another Author's Note

NEXT CHAPTER IS UP!

IT IS CALLED '**LIFE HAPPENS- JUST ROLL WITH IT'**

Please enjoy and read and review

Lots of love

~Althea


End file.
